The money does come back, but the summer is your best opportunity to bank. First year pay is criminal but you'll easily clear $100k on year 2 pay. I made just over $90k seven months into year 3 pay. That is averaging 14-15 days off and flying 199 block hours. However keep in mind 6 weeks of that I was out on FMLA leave, so no block hours flown and about half a months pay cut during that time.

Being a senior FO in base is a pretty sweet gig. I don't do four day trips unless it's some super sweet x list deal. I fly mostly turns, 2 days, and easy two leg 3 day trips down south. I'm rarely away from home more than 48 hours, which means less sodium infested airport food and more raw food cooked in my kitchen, better sleep quality in my own bed more frequently, and more workouts in my main gym.

I am not Mr. big money bags Fedex driving around in a lambo while picking up 22 year old Colombianas to go for a sunset cruise on my yacht, but I am healthier and happier than at any point in my career. I have a visible six pack, I'm not exhausted all the time, and I'm actually home enough to have a somewhat normal social life with normal people my age.