Originally Posted by FangsF15

Just to make sure y'all are comparing apples/apples...

At DL, at zero cost to the pilot, upon exhausting all sick hours (up to 270), disability immediately pays 50% of your "Final Average Earnings" (aka FAE - the highest 12 consecutive of prior 36 months, with no cap, and no carveouts). PLUS, we get 401k input at 32/34/36% of that amount. IOW, your 401k inputs continue as if you were fully active at 16/17/18%. Both these payments continue until the "FAA regulatory mandated retirement age". The only 'offset' is if you have outside income that exceeds your 100% FAE. Which at the top end would mean you would have an outside job well into 6-figures before that's a factor... Not very likely. Of note, New Hires now have a floor of 1000 hours of pay in the FAE calculation at first year pay - no 'vesting' required. A huge improvement.

In addition, 99+% of DL pilots voluntarily participate in "Delta Pilot Mutual Aid" (DPMA), which is an after-tax mutual aid benefit at a cost of approximately 0.7%, or about $2k on $300k of pay. This benefit is tax-free, and will pay the pre-tax-equivalent of the other 50% of your FAE for up to 365 days per event, up to 730 total days in your career. (no limit on events, just total days). DPMA also starts the day after your sick leave is exhausted. So, unless you lose your medical for a duration which exceeds (up to) 4+12 months, you effectively continue to get your full 100% FAE, plus full 401k input.

Here is an example. Active WB Captains are routinely pushing $500,000 annually, plus profit sharing (this year will be ~10%, or $50k), plus $80,000 in their 401k (plus another $8,000 401k from profit sharing). If that pilot loses their medical today, that pilot will get $275,000 annually/$~23,000 monthly (taxed) until turning age 65, PLUS $88,000 annually in their 401k until turning 65, PLUS DMPA (untaxed) will pay that pilot a pre-tax-equivalent of $275,000 over the next year/365 days. All that for about $3850 this year in DPMA dues. If that same pilot happened to have a banner year, and made $800,000 2 years ago (which happened to more than a few at DL), well, you can do the (uncapped) math. It's a ****-ton of money until turning 65 (or maybe 67?).

You can decide if that is better or worse than your TA.