Hello Guys,
I know there are many topics like this thread. However, my situation is a little bit different. I hope you can give me your best opinion about it! Thank you in advance.
Let me start with myself first. I'm not American and I have a green card. I always wanted to work as a pilot in the USA. Right now, I'm living in Dubai and flying B777. I recently resigned from my job and I'm in my notice period (3 Months! Yes you didn't read it wrong. It's 3 months). I have 4600 Jet hours (B777 and B737) and 0 PIC. I always flew as a FO in airlines. I got my unrestricted FAA ATP in AUG 2022 and I started applying for jobs after that. Until now, I got CJO from United, Southwest, and Atlas.
I also want to share my plan so that you can help me to choose the best for myself. I don't have close family in the US. Therefore I can live anywhere. I can make my home wherever I'm based at. I won't commute. I want to maximize my earnings over time. Also, I want to work smart not hard. Therefore, I would love to go to a company where I can maximize my earnings (upgrade time, contractual benefits, etc.,) and then want to have a nice lifestyle.
I'm not familiar with the part 121 world. I try to read here a lot. However, sometimes it takes too much time to understand contractual terms and abbreviations. I believe I will be better in time
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As far as I read, upgrade times are very short in the United right now. However, I have to fly 1000 hours before the upgrade either way since I don't have part 121 hours. However, I can be assigned to a wide body where it can take up to years to collect 1000 hours for the upgrade. On the other hand, If I'm assigned to an NB, do you think that with the new contract (if they fix the Reserve system) upgrades take years in United? They will hire more than 200 pilots next year and retirement rates are huge. In a couple of years, I can be on top of thousands of pilots on the seniority list.
Southwest, as far as I understand upgrade times are long. They say 6-7 years. However, in the interview they said, Upgrade times will be significantly shorter in the future since they are planning to increase the B737 fleet to 1000 aircraft. I know It's a projection and there is a huge room where the expected 3-4 years upgrade is not possible any soon. They will hire more than 2000 pilots and I can be on top of these 2000 guys in a year.
Atlas, I'm assigned to the B777 fleet. All flights are long-range. It looks like for the first 1-2 year I can more money than any others. However, 401K, Worklife, etc, is not great compared to United and Southwest. Upgrade times for B747 and B777 are around 6 years currently
Taking my situation into account, what would you choose for me? I want to work for a company for life from now on. I'm 33 and I've already changed 2 companies. I want to settle in and don't want to change companies anymore. From the short and long perspective,e taking into account stability, financial security, salary, upgrade times, quality of life, and future plans of the company which company should I choose? and in what order should I choose the companies? (if something goes wrong with the first option)
Thank you very much.