Right to regionals after instructing?
 

Should I go right to the regional airlines after I hit my 1500 hours through flight instructing? Someone at the school recommended I should fly part 135 for a bit (like planesense and tradewinds) before the airlines to get more experience. If the airlines are my goal, will I lack experience as a new hire if I only did flight instructing?

Thank you.

Regionals=Airlines.....why would you consider doing 135 if you could ascend straight to your goal?

Countless CFI's go straight to 121 airlines every year. That's what I recommend if "airline" is where you eventually want to end up.

Back in the day, you needed ME and turbine time for the regionals, so 135 was the way to go. Instruct to 1200 TT, then single-pilot night cargo to 2500 TT.

Yes, it would make you a better pilot. If you survived.

Go to a regional. 1500 hours is enough.

25%-50% of regional new hire classes are CFI backgrounds. Regional training programs are taking CFIs and making them airline pilots every month. Some are better at it than others, so choose wisely, but many are successful.

It wouldn’t hurt as it will make you a better pilot.
But it takes time.
Why you lack as CFI is ‘high-density’ airspace IFR operations and you’re generally low on actual IMC.
A year with Planesense in the SE USA and you’ll have a ton of both.
Even if it’s not required I’d probably recommend it.
You can get all bent out of shape about seniority and getting with the Majors but none of that is certain.
Enjoy it a little.