SkyHigh brings up some good points. But it's just as important to point out that the majors aren't the be all, end all for everybody. Some pilots (myself included), choose jobs that don't make the big bucks or have the "glamour" of other jobs, simply due to lifestyle and other personal choices.

In the end, each of us has to evaluate their goals, desires, and family needs. For each of us, that will be different. There are plenty of folks out there that choose to remain career FOs. According to some of the rationalizations that SkyHigh has tossed out, they are "failures" in their career. By my line of thinking, as long as they are happy and can care for the needs of their family, who are we to judge them?

Choose to go to Horizon because it's what you want at this juncture in life. Make sure you research every potential employer and make your choice accordingly.

There's a reason why QX has long upgrades and stagant flow- they are one of the best regionals to work for in terms of QOL, equipment, challenge of flying, and pay.