Pyridoxine

What are Frontier pilots REALLY making money-wise? I'm asking as an outsider.

What I Do Know

• Pay rates from the contract with pay increases through 2023
• 12% 401(k) DC increasing 1% per year to 15%
• Your average line values across most bases is around 82 credit hours, 15 days off
• You guys have rigs, 125% premium over 82 credit hours + some 150% or 200% premium opportunities which I understand compound in some instances (i.e. line starts 82 credit hours, you pick up premium at 150% which makes the pay rate 175%)

So, that said, what are some of the possibilities for those looking to work for extra $$$ and those looking to work minimally at less pay? I'm curious what line holders can credit if they're willing to block 80+ hours a month, as well as how efficient one's schedule can be (e.g. do you have to work down to 11 days off to block 90 hours in a given month?). On the flipside, how possible is it to have 18 days off without dropping trips, if at all? Basically, I'm just looking for what's realistic for someone with middle-of-the-road seniority as an FO or CA; you hear about the captains that make $400k-$500k in extreme examples where they're probably living in an Airbus most of the year and using all of their vacation to double-dip -- if you're one of those people, add to the conversation of what's possible, but I'm mostly curious in terms of realistic expectation management.

Aero1900

I believe that Frontier has one of the best contracts for flexibility. Obviously our pay rates aren't the best, but if you are willing to put in some effort, getting high credit hours is pretty easy.

We are going to be switching over to PBS soon which will only effect initial line builds. After that we will still have the ability to add, swap, drop and split pairings. We have open time windows that are usually loaded with decent trips and you are free to manipulate your schedule all throughout the month. It's not particularly uncommon to mess with your schedule so much that you don't fly with the guy who got the same line as you once during the month.

If you want to fly a lot, you can do that. If you want to drop to 60 or 70 hours, you can do that. (6 months have a 60 hr min, 6 months have a 70 hr min)

The key to all of this: being a slave to Flica, the online scheduling website. You can set up alerts to basically anything you want and it'll text you if it becomes available. You gotta be fast though!

If you want a premium pay trip, you got to be the fastest Flica cowboy in the west. And we got guys who make their entire living off of being the fastest

Mesabi

If you’re over 82 hours and you pick up a premium trip it pays 150% which is then given the 25% bump for being over 82. So 150 x 1.25 = 187.5% pay.

Technically nothing pays 200%, but scheduling can and sometimes does add extra credit hours to trips in the premium folder to encourage someone to snag it. So it might originally be a trip that pays 10 hours, but time is tight so they add 5 hours to it. So 15 hours times 150% = 22.5 plus another 25% if your over 82 gives you 28.13 hours. Things can really add up if the premium folder is hopping. But of course, that’s *IF*


as for days off, very easy to get 17 or 18 days off with mid level seniority. And if you’re actually blocking 80+ hours in a month you should be crediting well above 100 or you’re doing it wrong.

mid level captains can easily make between $200K and $250K. Maybe more if you’re a work-a-holic. I suspect senior guys have no trouble breaking $300K. And it will only get easier as our pay goes up over the next few years.

Notarealpilot

As a mid level FO it’s not hard to make 150-200k if you live in base.

Pilottim79

Disclaimer that is working your ass off. Also hinges on getting premium fairly often.

Xdashdriver

The MEC said today in their update that the average monthly credit among Captains in 2019 was 95 hours, and FOs was 90 hours. They did not publish block hours with that. My personal stats for 2019 (FO) were 1150 credit and 660 block. I worked 1 premium turn and I do not double dip vacations. I average 15-16 days off a month.

My schedule for this month right now shows a block of nearly 91 hours and I have 15 days off. The stats the union sent out today puts the average days off at around 15.8 per month.

RustyChain

I think this is pretty reasonable. I did similarly. Didn't feel like I worked all that hard and didn't spend much time on Flica.
I've heard of 1600 block hours...

303flyboy

absolutely not true. I made well over 150 when I was a year 3/4 FO with 0 premium.

fcoolaiddrinker

Top captain 50% in domicile.1200 credit 600 block and more days off than I’ve ever had I my career by far.

Pilottim79

4 year FO pay is 122/hr. Let's say you credit 100 hours a month( which without premium is pretty generous and you aren't getting 15-18 days off with that kinda credit). 100×12=1200. 1200×122= 146,400. So I guess with per diem you coul possibly inch over 150k if you worked a lot.

I am sorry though. 200k a year as an FO just doesn't add up without premium.