UA or DA?
 

Hey ya’ll, look’n for any insight/suggestion for my situation, positive or negative, I appreciate it all. I’ll keep it to the point: I’m a 24M, live in FL rent free right now, just got on-boarded by UA, based in IAH where I was born & raised. Got Delta offer recently as well. Open to settling down in ATL, FL, or TX with a long term gf whose open to any.
Overall, with state of contract talk/temper at UA v. Post-contract DAL, would a sound strategy be to hold on CJO as long as possible until UAL contract closes to compare “apples-to-apples”, or is UA contract destined to fall short of DAL contract like AA? I like the Delta brand & its product more, but UA bases (IAH/MCO) seem tempting. I must say, being from IAH, I’ve never had a DAL pilot tell me to go to United, but usually UA guys majority say DAL is the move. The pilot group at UA can sound really discouraging at the moment…
*Ideal goal is WB flying, but I’m aware you can do a both easily, and I’m most comfortable with living in TX v ATL since I’m from TX, is living in base such a massive deal breaker as ppl make it out to be?

Hope everyone is well, gracias!

Comparing contracts is probably not as important as where you want to live. Contracts are a "snapshot" in time. All contracts will ebb and flow throughout your career. Both are probably good options - JMHO but I would start by prioritizing where you want to live and then work the issue from that point of view.

Scoop

On page 4 there's an entire thread called "Delta or United." OP was a Reservist, but lots of good info there.

A5S

don’t bother comparing contract. Over an entire career contracts will more or less be equal from a financial stand point. Each company will have their own way of dealing with qol issues that may only marginally shift in a positive direction. You won’t have any large sweeping changes for how either company deals with work rules. Place to settle down is probably the most important but if you’re open to bases at either airline you should consider fleet, company growth and plans and “who you work for” which company has values and actions to back up those values that you believe in. Delta said they’d give their pilots the best contract and make it known they were the best in the industry. UA seems to be more concerned with redesigning uniforms and protecting individuals identities than giving their pilots what they’re worth.

Go where you want to live. Both are fine options ... and what really matters is how things will look halfway through your career in 2045. And NOBODY KNOWS.

I’ve been IAH based with United for a while and the WB flying is pretty good, but usually really senior. It’s not as big of an international base as SFO, but the trips are still pretty good. There are about a dozen daily departures, mostly Europe and South America, plus NRT and HNL. I don’t know how Delta compares out of ATL.

At the end of the day, with 40 years left in your career, both would be very good choices. Delta is a well run company and currently has the better contract. United will end up with something on par as well. Management teams and contracts come and go. You will retire senior at either company, QOL between the two will be a wash over a long career, so living where you really want to should be the determining factor.

Step 1: live where you want to live.

Step 2: pick the airline that allows you to drive to work.

Everything else is a moo point.

​​​​​​And don't take anything for granite?

JC Rick, are you a rock or boulder person?

First and foremost, go to where you can live in base.

To clear up a few things regarding widebody, you can attain widebody easily at both places as an FO. However, United is head and shoulders above delta for top paying widebody capt as of now.

They have a much higher fleet count and you will get there quicker, spend more time on, and finish with much higher relative seniority as a widebody capt at United.

Delta does have orders on the books for more widebody aircraft but United has always been ahead regarding international long haul.

After basing, if widebody is your goal, United is the place I’d go.