I echo everything Excargodog says. I’m starting class here in a few weeks. And my choice was between the Delta owned regional and Compass. Both had the same class dates. But I went with CPZ and I’ll gladly break down why:
1. Good pay but less than others means I’m not going to be forever behind lifers
2. The idea of rocking a reserve list 55+ deep in NYC and struggling to fly more than 20 hours a month is terrifying (yes we all know 9E is announcing big news here soon...but soon hasn’t happened for months)
3. Bases are all holdable within a few months
4. Honestly for all the gripes about the hiring department. They’ve been amazing to me, we email every few weeks and they have been more than accommodating with any request I’ve had
5. High risk high reward, obviously. No regional is going to be my career if it plays out right. 3-4 years and CPZ and move on

Now that being said. CPZ isn’t for everyone from what I was told in the interview and what I read on here. For reference I’m single and in my mid 20s so I’m trying to fly a lot and don’t care about a lot of things that people with families do. If you’re married or aren’t worried about flying a ton, and want a regional with “more guaranteed” future then other places are better. You can pick up a paycheck for not flying, make more per hour, and be home more often while doing 7+ months of reserve.

And yes, definitely, things can change tomorrow. But for now, West Coast with the APC homies is worth it for someone in my position.