You talking TK or NK???

Depends where you are coming from, what your end state is and how much time you have. Second year pay alone will make up the difference of first year pay loss vs captain at a regional. QOL is something you have to judge for yourself. Timeframe makes a difference as well. Upgrade at Spirit in anything less than five years you’re better off than what you can do at a major, especially if you are too old to have longevity to make it to the bigger metal.