I think the consensus here is that commuting to LAX 737 would suck on reserve because you’d have to cover 4 different airports which are far apart and have poor options for public transportation. So that leaves LAX 320 or PHL 190. LAX 320 you’d be really junior for a long time, but PHL 190 you’d move right on up, and last I heard people were holding lines after only a few months.

So bottom line, if PHL is a reasonable commute, I’d choose the 190 any day. Which is what I did years ago!

Commuting to reserve for around a year to cover 4 airports or commute to one airport and be a line holder in a few months? Know what I’d do.

The only advantage LAX has is you gain an hour or two on your way to work.

I’m a Nov hire on the 190 that finished OE in Jan and I still can’t hold a line. Maybe Jul. I’d say 7 months to a line on the 190 is more realistic. My indoc classmates on the 73 in LGA are getting lines at about 5-6 months.

I’ve commuted to both. 190 in PHL and AB in LAX. One thing that you might want to consider is cost of hotel or crash pad. PHL crash pads are about $200 to $250 a month and a bus ride away. I use hotels in LAX (when needed, which is self imposed at my seniority, but will likely be needed at yours). I spend $110 to $150 a night, but you can find as low as $80 if you’re willing to stay in a crap hole. That’s going to get expensive sitting reserve.

Another thing is number of commuters, I’d wager that more OKC guys are commuting to LAX than PHL, but just a guess. This is because PHL is not on most OKC guys radar when they get hired here, they are gunning for DFW, and kind of look at 737 as the way to get there quickly. Again, just an assumption on my part,from talking to various new hires over the years.

I prefer LAX, but mainly because my commute there is way better than to PHL. Realize too, that you will likely be able to change bases on the group 2 aircraft pretty quickly (6 months) depending on base.

Have a friend doing exactly that. OKC - LAX/737. He’s making it work, but I don’t think it’s easy. Lots of offline flying (SWA and DAL) through other airports but ouch.

PHX/320 is going to newhires now - SWA has several and we have a few directs from OKC.

Best of luck


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Thanks for the info. Couple more questions:

Is it true that the AA operations center at LAX has sleep rooms and showers? Do pilots use those in lieu of hotels/crashpads?

Also, as a new hire in LAX, could you bid LC and then proffer trips to minimize the need for hotels/crashpads?

Thanks again

That info is only good for people hired in nov 17. Could be shorter to a line or it could be longer for someone hired tomorrow.

The sleep room is just a room with somewhat uncomfortable recliners. They keep the whole place very cold. There is a shower, I’ve never used it as it requires a key (that I lost after they gave it to me). It is not conducive to good rest and wouldn’t work well in lieu of a crash pad on reserve IMO. More of used for catching sleep after getting in late and taking an early flight home, or can’t get a hotel.

PHL’s USO used to have proper bunk beds, which I used once in a while when my commute flight got in late and I was going out early. But you don’t want to wear out your welcome or take advantage of the USO, so I only used it rarely.

Bottom line, I recomend just accepting the higher costs of commuting as the cost of doing business and don’t go cheap. It’s only for a year or 2 and is way cheaper than moving to LA or the North East. Your wife will understand. I recomend the AB over the 737, so that you don’t have to cover multiple bases.

Yes, on long call you can proffer for trips, but it’s done by seniority within groups sorted by hours flown. You won’t get a trip if you’re in a high hours flown group relative to others. This would be great on long call, because you get paid to stay home. Only caveat is that I don’t recomend sitting at home on LC on probation, but that’s just me. Off probation, on LC, I never come in to base unless assigned a trip.

Please do not live in Ops!

Yes, exactly what I was trying to say, but much more concise:cool: