Originally Posted by Excargodog

You are making a comeback after 18 years. You are - by choice - going to be commuting. So get the most benign commute you can, get online and get the rust knocked off. That's going to take you three months anywhere, and six months to damn near a year at some places. An FO who is currently flying has two type ratings, and no major blemishes is capable of being hired at JB, Soirit, Frontier, or Allegiant NOW. In another year the majors will have further depleted the pool of former military and others they deem more qualified than you, and be retiring even more guys than they are now. Barring an event you can neither predict nor do squat about, your odds of getting on at an LCC with FO time only are going to be BETTER than they would be today if you had the rust knocked off and another 500 hours.

Just do it. Don't f@rt around trying to sweeten the shot. Get on quick, get your butt in the seat, and then start building time.

My advice anyway, fwiw.