Airplanes are fun, but as with all things that are fun they lose a lot off the enjoyment factor when you're across the country from friends and family all the time, not sleeping in your own bed, and getting paid jack. There will inevitably be moments in the cockpit when something you really wish you were home for (maybe, let's say, Christmas) or with your friends for (everyone going out to celebrate a birthday or a concert) is going on without you, and you just wish you could be there and not in this ridiculous hotel or cockpit. Do all careers have similar feelings at times? Absolutely. But what makes the sacrifice worth it in other careers is reward, either in the form of money, creative outlet, prestige, higher purpose, etc.. In the airlines, everything that makes the sacrifice worth it is steadily being snatched away except for the fact that airplanes are fun. So in those moments when the airplane is no fun, the job really, basically, just sucks. Think about it. This is a career that at times is fun, and at times, just sucks. The ratio between the two depends on who you work for and other factors like commuting, but the reason pilots complain isn't because they don't like flying, it's because we've all seen this steady, seemingly unstoppable swing in that ratio across the whole industry. There are a few regional airlines where the ratio is so tilted in favor of sucking that there's more happiness in being a gas station attendant. There are also airlines like Southwest, which reward pilots with a good career and make the sucky parts worth it. The reality is you may end up eventually working for a good one or you may not. You probably won't, though--don't just assume that you're outside of statistics. It's your choice whether to step into the batter's box or not. Again, this is a job that sometimes is fun and sometimes sucks. Make sure you use a level head when you consider changing careers.