I'm returning to United from furlough in February. My passport doesn't expire till June 2020, so per FOM it's good for flying thru December 2019 so it still has another 6 months of validity on it.

Should I try to get it renewed while going through FTC initial qualification in Denver, where I don't need a passport till I hit IOE, or is it practical to wait till closer to December to renew?

If I wait till later, do most pilots just renew it using the one-day processing method in-person at one of the passport centers in a hub city, or opt for the expedited mail-in renewal option which "promises" 2-week turnaround? It seems the normal mail-in option (4-6 week turnaround) is a non-option for us. Either mail-in option seems to require dropping trips or using vacation/LOA.

Thanks