If I'd gotten simultaneous offers from SWA and UAL, I would have taken SWA. SWA is still an excellent place to land. However, at UAL I will easily make a lot more money over my career than I could have at SWA, I project easily six figures more. Why? Faster upgrade - just four years in and I could hold CA. I am not bidding there for a year or two, because I like having whatever days off I want and I'm senior enough now to pick up premium trips to boot. Even with resumed growth, I can't imagine a CA upgrade at SWA in less than eight years nor having that much power over my schedule so soon. Oh, and I can change things up and bid WB too. In my case in particular, I put UAL's pass travel privileges to good use internationally - roughly $5-7k worth a year not even counting FC upgrades. Can't do anything remotely like it at SWA, at least not until they start flying to Europe. I would have taken SWA but I'm relieved now that I ended up at UAL. YMMV.