Originally Posted by
Tireteapot
Big thing is cost of living. Say I move my family to Bay Area…no way we get something comparable to what we have here. Especially with rates now. Another $1000 a month in housing at least. Plus high utilities. Higher gas prices to commute 2-3 hours to SFO since that’s all we could afford.
Another big one is Cali state income tax. Factor 10%. At top end United 737 pay, take home would actually be less than top end 737 Alaska pay.
Or I commute for 35 years. Not sure I’d enjoy that with a young family. Say United has 4 days more off a month. I’d eat a few of those in commuting. Doesn’t exactly seem worth it. Tough decisions.
Don't overthink it is my opinion. And don't base it on money decisions. Sadly, many pilots do that when family and QOL matter the most and should be the first consideration. You guys in the 23-34 range coming out of the regional/CFI world have it so much better than almost any other group you'll ever fly with at this level.
Don't forget that and also take the time to acknowledge to yourself how lucky you guys are when you have your interactions with grumpy captains 😁. Almost any decision you make is going to be a good one with some trade offs though.
I won't tell you where to choose but I know that decisions about flexibility in where to live, what to fly, and financial stability are things your 60 year old self will be happy your 30 year old self took the time to consider.