DenverPilot8

I got bored so I ran some numbers for the next 10 years of our careers and as a comparison to Frontier. I took current projected upgrade times at all of the major carriers and calculated based on hourly rate x 1000 hours a year (probably wouldn’t fly that much but should be able to credit 1000 per year in additional soft time. Also these numbers are for narrow body to narrow body. So Delta, United, and American are based on A320 Rates as a comparison. Of course upgrade times may change and contract rates will also vary. But it gives insight into what the pay differences are. Here is what I came up with:

These are average yearly salaries (gross) earned over the next 10 years.


Frontier (4 year upgrade): 115K
Hawaiian (7 year upgrade) 143K
United (5 year upgrade) 187K
Alaska (7 year upgrade) 134K
Delta (3 year upgrade) 170K
American (7 year upgrade) 174K
Fed EX (5 year upgrade) 198K

These are all CURRENT pay rates and only accounts for Hourly flying.
Year 10 everyone would be a Captain and is as follows.

Frontier: 156K
Hawaiian: 206K
United: 244K
Alaska: 206K
Delta: 206K
American: 231k
Fed Ex: 273K

This would just be the next 10 years and doesn't include 401k contributions. Over a career for someone starting now the big 3 and Fed Ex means literally MILLIONS of dollars more in pay and retirement over Frontier. Even for guys that have been at the airline for 10 years would still make more money if they left here. I know this isn't news but putting it on a spread sheet made me realize how vast the difference actually is.

I think it comes down to this. Frontier can be a great place to work. I had always wanted to work here and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to do so. But with these kind of numbers I'm really hoping that they will do something to make people want to stay.

TarponSlayer

So I put in an app a few months back being just shy of mins by about 150 hours. App was rejected but no biggie. I'm flying 85 per month at Republic. I got the MCO invite back in April and I went. I left pretty motivated hoping to get a call. I got a call today. The recruiter asked if I was willing to go to Great Lakes in order to get to mins. I said I had already gotten there and the response I got was "great, you should go to aerocrew in Dallas." Am I missing something here?Im a little confused over this haha.

sulkair

Thanks for compiling this DP8. Stark!

NWSteeringArmer

Those numbers don't do the pay parity even a little justice... If you wanted to do that just for fun, you should've run the numbers for our 10 year captains and a 3rd year Airbus fo at delta or United... They make more and that's not even close

TampaTanker

You're also not factoring in profit sharing. It's not even as close as it sounds in your post.


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phoenix 23684

That's a great post showing the pay disparity. This should be a huge sign to anyone at Frontier to put an App out there for the big 3. We all love flying for F9, but love doesn't pay the bills or gives you the piece of mind of a solid retirement.

newhire1234

Literally got the same call...... Seems like they are trying to recruit for Great Lakes haha.

DenverPilot8

If you read the post I said it only accounts for HOURLY flying sir. The point is even not factoring all of the other stuff the difference is huge. Hense the millions of dollars more.

Trowserchilli

Trying to compare numbers between carriers 10 years out is fruitless.
10 years is a long time.
12 years ago Frontier pilots were making more than JetBlue pilots. Based on some of the logic here those B6 pilots should have left in 2004 because the 10yr projection didn't look well.

2004
F9 12yr Captain $157
B6 12yr Captain $139

Arty13

So much for that.