It’s a fair question.

While a relative slowdown might take an additional AE (which are monthly) or two from recent history, it’s still what I would recommend. Believe it or not, we are only a couple months from the AE’s getting large to begin setting us up for Summer ‘25. There will be lots of movement when WBA’s are posted. Taking an undesirable aircraft just to get the base you desire is not worth preventing a month or two of commuting. In the long run, it’s the smart play, IMO.

This is just one example, but I just flew with a NH FO who took the 320 across the country, and by the time he finished OE, he was converted to the base where he lives. His classmate took the 717 just to have the guarantee of base, and are now stuck for 2 years on it, and they regret it tremendously.