BNA: AA or DAL
11-02-2023 | 09:19 AM
#1
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BNA: AA or DAL
This time it's about BNA. CJO's from both. Early 30s. Married no kids. Extended family lives in DFW, I own a house there, but we're going to live in BNA for awhile, and I hate the summers in Dallas.
I'm leaning AA...
Retirements/Seniority progression faster/furlough cushion....less as much at DAL, I think/behind the wave
More surefire quick captain upgrade....DAL not sure how long it will stay junior.
Fleet modernized already pre-COVID, low interest rates....DAL might incur more financial obligation later
Serious about paying down debt...DAL tbd
Reserve the jumpseat...ish.....although DAL has 18 hour callout with a 4 hour drive to ATL
9 to 11 flights a day to DFW....fewer with DAL where rest of my extended family lives
Could snoop for open time in DFW, NYC, DC, and CLT...maybe.
Parents house could be my DFW crash pad....or drive to ATL 4 hrs if needed worst case with DAL
Not worried about what airframe I get or how quick (if ever) to WB. Love to live in SLC or SEA someday again but not in the cards for 5 years at least/still a maybe. Mostly pondering seniority movement/security and probability of captain upgrade in under 5 years (absurdly selfish by historical standards I know)
My sense is that Delta is doing better on paper and has a good brand, but I see a lot of potential at AA going forward.
Anything I'm missing.
I'm leaning AA...
Retirements/Seniority progression faster/furlough cushion....less as much at DAL, I think/behind the wave
More surefire quick captain upgrade....DAL not sure how long it will stay junior.
Fleet modernized already pre-COVID, low interest rates....DAL might incur more financial obligation later
Serious about paying down debt...DAL tbd
Reserve the jumpseat...ish.....although DAL has 18 hour callout with a 4 hour drive to ATL
9 to 11 flights a day to DFW....fewer with DAL where rest of my extended family lives
Could snoop for open time in DFW, NYC, DC, and CLT...maybe.
Parents house could be my DFW crash pad....or drive to ATL 4 hrs if needed worst case with DAL
Not worried about what airframe I get or how quick (if ever) to WB. Love to live in SLC or SEA someday again but not in the cards for 5 years at least/still a maybe. Mostly pondering seniority movement/security and probability of captain upgrade in under 5 years (absurdly selfish by historical standards I know)
My sense is that Delta is doing better on paper and has a good brand, but I see a lot of potential at AA going forward.
Anything I'm missing.
11-02-2023 | 10:40 AM
#2
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Joined: May 2023
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I don't have anything to add. You pretty much covered everything and I think it mostly favors AA. Personally, I'd probably prefer to commute for five years to DFW where I can book the jumpseat than plan on driving to ATL for 30-35 years. I'd go where you have a long-term prospect of not commuting.
11-02-2023 | 11:37 AM
#3
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Seeing as you’re posting this on the AA side, I have a feeling your mind is made, but I’ll write this anyway.
Just a comparison for you:
9 flights/day to DFW from BNA all AA, or 10/day to ATL, 7 of them being DL and 3 WN.
You can reserve jumpseats at DL, too, with priority being given to first going to work, then coming from work, then personal travel (priority being how far in advance you can list).
However, I drive ~3 hours to my Delta base and although that would probably be my limit, having the choice and control of driving makes this job a game changer.
I’ve really enjoyed my time at DL and upgrades are still going junior (less than 10 months for 717 and 220, others shortly after that). You’re on the backside of the wave, but you’re young. You’ll retire relatively senior regardless, and that retirement wave only matters if the company continues to hire behind you. Oh, and the 18 hour callout is a hell of a thing.
Just a comparison for you:
9 flights/day to DFW from BNA all AA, or 10/day to ATL, 7 of them being DL and 3 WN.
You can reserve jumpseats at DL, too, with priority being given to first going to work, then coming from work, then personal travel (priority being how far in advance you can list).
However, I drive ~3 hours to my Delta base and although that would probably be my limit, having the choice and control of driving makes this job a game changer.
I’ve really enjoyed my time at DL and upgrades are still going junior (less than 10 months for 717 and 220, others shortly after that). You’re on the backside of the wave, but you’re young. You’ll retire relatively senior regardless, and that retirement wave only matters if the company continues to hire behind you. Oh, and the 18 hour callout is a hell of a thing.
11-02-2023 | 11:51 AM
#4
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: B737CA
I’d pack up and move to a domicile. Plenty of nice places to live in Dallas or Atlanta areas that are within an easy driving distance. Commuting gets old - FAST. Not to mention you’re leaving a lot of money on the table by commuting.
An FYI… Southwest is opening a BNA base. Your seniority progression won’t be as good as it will be at AA, and neither will the upgrade time. The question is what’s driving to work worth to you?
An FYI… Southwest is opening a BNA base. Your seniority progression won’t be as good as it will be at AA, and neither will the upgrade time. The question is what’s driving to work worth to you?
11-02-2023 | 01:23 PM
#8
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Because he said he has extended family in DFW. I’m thinking about babysitters for grandchildren and managing your parents hip fracture. Only specific to his family, not Dallas in General. Basically, the idea that being near family may matter more to him in the future.
11-02-2023 | 01:27 PM
#9
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Seeing as you’re posting this on the AA side, I have a feeling your mind is made, but I’ll write this anyway.
Just a comparison for you:
9 flights/day to DFW from BNA all AA, or 10/day to ATL, 7 of them being DL and 3 WN.
You can reserve jumpseats at DL, too, with priority being given to first going to work, then coming from work, then personal travel (priority being how far in advance you can list).
However, I drive ~3 hours to my Delta base and although that would probably be my limit, having the choice and control of driving makes this job a game changer.
I’ve really enjoyed my time at DL and upgrades are still going junior (less than 10 months for 717 and 220, others shortly after that). You’re on the backside of the wave, but you’re young. You’ll retire relatively senior regardless, and that retirement wave only matters if the company continues to hire behind you. Oh, and the 18 hour callout is a hell of a thing.
Just a comparison for you:
9 flights/day to DFW from BNA all AA, or 10/day to ATL, 7 of them being DL and 3 WN.
You can reserve jumpseats at DL, too, with priority being given to first going to work, then coming from work, then personal travel (priority being how far in advance you can list).
However, I drive ~3 hours to my Delta base and although that would probably be my limit, having the choice and control of driving makes this job a game changer.
I’ve really enjoyed my time at DL and upgrades are still going junior (less than 10 months for 717 and 220, others shortly after that). You’re on the backside of the wave, but you’re young. You’ll retire relatively senior regardless, and that retirement wave only matters if the company continues to hire behind you. Oh, and the 18 hour callout is a hell of a thing.
By "18 hours call is a hell of a thing" you mean good, right? Or hidden gotchas?
11-02-2023 | 01:39 PM
#10
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I’d pack up and move to a domicile. Plenty of nice places to live in Dallas or Atlanta areas that are within an easy driving distance. Commuting gets old - FAST. Not to mention you’re leaving a lot of money on the table by commuting.
An FYI… Southwest is opening a BNA base. Your seniority progression won’t be as good as it will be at AA, and neither will the upgrade time. The question is what’s driving to work worth to you?
An FYI… Southwest is opening a BNA base. Your seniority progression won’t be as good as it will be at AA, and neither will the upgrade time. The question is what’s driving to work worth to you?
Just a unique thing to my situation that we're going to journey through BNA. To make it complicated - I don't want to move back to DFW again long term. I might need to stop being a crybaby, swallow the seniority thing, drive to Atlanta as my backup, and the spouse is in favor of SLC down the road.
I guess the critical info is: a) Understanding the commuting options/bandaids at each, b) furlough buffer probabilities, and c) would I be reasonably able to upgrade in under 5 years or is this crazy short upgrade time an anomaly that will rapidly evaporate.
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