Originally Posted by
cwells063
Is There really a difference outside of pay
I am not a pilot. Just lookin at possible careers.
As GF said, most folks have to start at regionals. So the question is do you stay or move on when/if you get the opportunity?
All regionals are about the same (there are some that would be better than others if you stay long-term).
Narrowbody lifestyle and pay at most of the majors is similar (minus a couple small outliers).
The larger majors (and FDX/UPS) also have widebodies, which offer a different lifestyle and even more pay.
Staying at a regional would cost you significant QOL (mainly days off, as much as ten days off per month). It would cost you, long term, several hundred thousand dollars per year, so ultimately millions in lost compensation.
Some folks stay at regionals because of timing, they get hired and get good seniority in a base they really like and settle down with a family. They may chose to forgo the big money and settle for a perfectly adequate living at the regional and an easy lifestyle.
Common theme is folks live in a town they like and have the seniority to consistently hold standup schedules. They may work 16 or more days per month, but they have the day completely free and may even have a 9-5 job. Around 8-10pm they head to the airport and fly one leg, typically 1-3 hours. They go to a hotel for a few hours, maybe get 4-6 hours in bed, and then fly the early am flight back to the hub, arriving around 6-8 am. They go home and have breakfast with the family. So that's almost a normal life except you sleep in a hotel about half the time, and earn an extra $150K-ish. Small wonder those guys tend to stick around. But you need some luck and timing (or decades of seniority) to get schedules like that.
But regionals (and their bases) come and go, so almost everybody who chooses to stay has a backup plan, even if it's driving a truck. On average, majors will provide more stability in the long run (although they certainly have their share of turbulence too).