UA vs AA (flow) vs UPS
 

Here’s another “where would you go?” thread. I have CJO’s from two and a flow to AA in Sept next year. I live in CLT, so I would prefer AA, but I know anything can happen in 10 months and seniority number now is huge. I’m 46. These are my considerations:

UA - They have the largest wide body fleet, which is what I’d like to get into someday. They have a better contract and management in my opinion, and strongest legacy. I’m looking at a January start date. The con is that I’d be committing to being a life-long commuter, which I’m not thrilled about.

AA - I live in CLT, so QOL would be great, but I’d have to wait it out to flow which is around next September. I’d also be getting the flow through bonus of $100K, but I’d lose out on all that seniority over the next 9 months. AA’s debt and management is a concern, as I think they’ll be ripe for a bankruptcy the next time the economy sours. Maybe the seniority progression there will negate that, but who knows. Yes, I have my app in for outside hire, but crickets.

UPS - I never saw myself going this route, as that type of flying and seeing how worn out those guys look is a turn off. I know, they have day flying but it seems few and far between. I’d be commuting here too. They win the compensation comparison hands down, and the pension is huge.

I feel extremely fortunate to have to choose from these amazing jobs, which makes it difficult. Thanks all.

it all depends, what are you priorities in order?

Wait it out, take the bonus, don’t commute. Easy decision imho.

I'd wait it out too. Especially under a year. Unless you have plans to move then take ual. If not stick with the flow. You will move up the senority list pretty quickly with all AA future retirements

Do not spend 5% of your remaining career waiting to flow. Take a class date now. You can still apply to AA.

How many envoy hires have flowed. Answer zero. February will be first ones. Flow is not guaranteed. Your cjo is the golden ticket.

I would take UPS in a heartbeat. The financial proposition is just so much better than UA and especially AA. UA as a second, AA as a distant last. You'll never see left seat of a widebody at AA and unlikely at UA, but definitely at UPS. The difference over your career is millions. And then you add the pension to it.

If this Omicron variant spreads and the world goes full retard again, AA will be the first one to kick you to the street.

Don't even think about the 100k bonus. 9 months is 300k in career end earnings, plus 20 years of higher 401K accrual and compound interest/investment return for your first year DC.

1) First class date

then

1) UPS… Widebody opportunities, UPS own metal commute and commute on AA to SDF, and the ability to deviate from DHs to and from SDF to bring you to and from CLT. Pension, what’s it? $4000 x years of service so $75k a year+ if you spend 1 day as a CA at UPS before you retire… ask the UPS dudes to explain the Deadhead Deviations and Pension but that alone would be worth it.


2) Not waiting for a flow that may or may not happen, or be shut down for another almost 2 years the week before you’re supposed to go (UAL).


3) Waiting to flow.

UPS without a second’s hesitation.

I was going to post a similar topic soon. I’m doing ACMI right now and I really like it, at least most of the time I do. But I have an AA interview coming up and my UPS app may be getting looked at. Obviously I have to get a CJO from both. I live in DFW and AA has always been my dream airline. The thought of driving to work for a day trip to LAX or MIA is appealing. But the type of international flying UPS does is the type of flying I like, not to mention DH deviation to make commuting better. I understand UPS has lots of different trips that can appeal to everyone though. So it could be a tough decision coming up.