x’s 2!!!
filler

Not really, UA would always be ahead, but you’d have to endure reserve. And as a commuter, I would never voluntarily do that under our present rules.

In any case, there’s too many unknowns in his scenario to give reasonable advice. If he want to commute to an interior senior domicile at UA or the equivalent at AA, the answer is pretty easy as it will take years to recoup that pay, if ever.

With 787s deliveries being delayed, AA has postponed starting some of their new secondary international routes.

It’s a very tough choice to have and I’m beginning to have the wheels turn with a similar question despite how much I do love where I’m at. I’m paying particular attention to this thread since I’m exactly the same as the OP in company, seat and age. There is only one airline I would leave for and I’m trying to have my decision made before I even re-up my app with them. I would rather decide what my choice would be if offered a job before even applying rather than be in the OP’s position and have to lay awake at night wondering what I’m going to do.

Personally, I’ve found the best people to talk to are the people that have made the U/LCC to legacy switch after having some seniority at the ULCC (not a newbie on probation who left for a legacy). Even better if you ask someone who left the left seat of a ULCC, but good luck finding them. That alone is telling. I have found that getting factual advice from current legacy pilots tends to be difficult - the most seasoned gray haired captains are so far removed from the industry that they wonder why anyone would want to stay at a “start-up” like Frontier, Spirit, or JetBlue (I have actually been asked that before), and the younger FOs have usually come straight from the regionals and have very little to no experience or knowledge of the money and QOL that can be had at a modern ULCC. The most unbiased info I’ve gotten so far have been from the mid-range seniority legacy captains - Young enough to not be completely removed from how the industry and airlines have evolved, but old enough to have had their teeth kicked in a few times by the industry. They’ve also lost their cheerleading pom poms years ago, so they generally tend to not speak from a position of ego. The majority of that particular group that I have spoke to tell me I’d be a fool to leave the left seat of an Airbus making the money I am making and having the seniority movement that I have ahead.

In the end, I seem to be trying to find reasons to tell myself TO make the move rather than to NOT make the move, so I think my decision is probably staring me in the face. I laughed when I read the last line of RJSAviator’s post because that’s exactly how I feel. It feels like I’ve already won big at the blackjack table and now I want to take whatever money I had left for gambling, along with all my winnings, and plop it all down on the roulette table hoping my bet on black pays off. It’s one thing when it only hurts you if it doesn’t work out. It’s another when it adversely effects and hurts my family of five. Being a degenerate gambler is one thing. When you still do it knowing it could seriously hurt the people you love it just makes you a dirtbag.

Just my 2 cents on the matter.

Go to AMR. ASAP. Timing is everything and timing couldn't be better to go to a legacy.
I'm UAL and you have two things at AMR that are important.
1) DFW is closer to where you live
2) The upward movement at AMR will be extremely good, even better than UAL (which is also very good).

AMR's morale isn't the best right now but that ebbs and flows with every airline.

And step back and look at what's happening with the airlines. The legacies are saying there's a shortage of pilots. The regionals are disappearing because of this. The ULCCs are next.
I stated back in 2011 or so that the regionals would eventually shrink due to lack of pilots and that the ULCCs would start to shrink after the regionals. ULCCs aren't going to be able to grow because they're going to find a large chunk of their pilots being poached by the majors.
Look at what's happening at the regionals right now. The ULCCs will be next .

ULCCs are very profitable. They will be able to pay for pilots as well as any major can. I’ve been an AA bus captain (pay at least) since 35 and I would tell any mid seniority ULCC guy to stay put unless they are under 30 and have some need to have a 2 digit seniority number.

the ULCC’s pay their pilots? Have you seen their pay rates?

Interesting read.

I am in the exact same position as my two friends here. Left seat 320 mid 30s. At Frontier you’ll make about 250k if you work your line and go home not trying. 300/400+ if you pick up like a flica nuttjob. Year 12 CA I believe is 270/hr first 82 hours. 337.50/hr after that (credit not block ). Plus 15% DC.

Do I think there is a good chance it will work out for you when leaving ? Yes.. But it will be years and years of not making this ^ before catching up. Is it worth the crew meal and a nicer product ? Maybe.

Also, Andy our planes where full as long as states where not shutdown at a price level that worked for us during the beginning of the pandemic. Not sore sure that was the same for the big 3.

Like someone else said at this level I won’t leave anymore. Too big of a gamble. Only pilots think the grass is greener. Especially with 50% of the list below me and based on firm orders alone will be 20% in the next few years.

FO retention will be an issue. Especially younger ones in their first two years.. I don’t think we have an issue till the company raises first year pay to 98% of second year pay which btw puts the rest of us in the industry in a great bargaining position ..

At the end of the day do what feels right for you and your family and don’t look back. We have it unbelievable good right now (all majors / legacies / cargo etc) let’s hope it stays that way.

Cheers !

I know, right!? Delta Air Lines A320 captains top out at $274/hour. F9 and NK pilots only top out at $270/hour. How do we survive!? My wife cries every time she looks in our bank account and I was finally able to afford the glue that I needed to put the soles back on my kid’s worn shoes.

To add insult to injury on my above post, my wife just informed me that she’s been cheating on me with a FedEx pilot and that real men fly fright. I don’t know the aircraft type he flies for sure, but she condescendingly said that his equipment is much larger and manlier than I could ever dream of mine being, so I assume he’s on the MD-11.