FO Pay
 

I finally meet the qualifications to start applying to the major airlines, but there’s a catch, my current situation requires an annual income of at least $110,000. I need to know what I can realistically expect to make in the first year at the following places:

Delta.
Alaska.
Southwest.

Thank you

Maybe sell a kidney and a few other body parts to make up the difference.

This thread is going to age well.

🍿

You’ll make less than 100k at all three airlines you listed.

I’m not surprised reading this ridiculous thread though. Most senior Captains I had the pleasure to fly with at the regionals literally couldn’t financially afford to move on. I believe that’s why AA setup that bonus structure for flow throughs with their WO’s.

Get a second job to supplement. You won't break 100K first year at any of them. Also, are you sure you want to apply to Alaska?

Can’t you get a low interest loan from somewhere if you explain your situation regarding first year pay compared to second year pay?

I’d take a loan against my own 401k. The interest rate is around 5%. They should be able to pay back the difference in less than 3 years.

I'd suggesting listening to Dave Ramseys podcast.

So, you have job offers from all three airlines??

Nope, just the one from your mom.

Ahh, there is that maturity that goes along with someone needing to make $110k at a legacy first year to qualify for a loan.

Still remember the days where people didnt leverage themselves to the max. Maybe ask Mom and Dad to co-sign for you. You can offer to wash their car or do some chores around the house to pay it off.

Nah, I’m fine where I’m at. Don’t even need to deal with the airlines. I’m just asking a simple question and you give me a popcorn bag for an answer. I washed your moms car fwiw.

Take out a HELOC and float a few dozen thousand in year one if necessary. To not move to a legacy because "I can't afford first year" is the dumbest decision of all time. Find a way, and do it.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

How do you meet the requirement now?

Thanks for washing her car.

Exactly - make it happen.
First year pay will be around 90-95k while you’re on probation. After that 130-150 second year and goes way up from there .
Simple

If you work extra you'll clear 100k first year at delta. One of my friends there is doing it now. I'm at a different legacy and if you wanna work, you can make that number. You'll be working a ton and having to play the system. As soon as year 2 pay hits though you'll easily be seeing 16k+ months with the same work schedule to make up the difference. Someone mentioned a loan on here in a previous comment. If it's for a loan, can't you just get approved for the loan now?

Seems very short sighted to only be focused on first year pay. UPS/FedEx don’t pay that first year, but they make up for it on year 2.

It’s possible at SW. Might have to pick up some second year incentive flying but it’s in the realm if that’s what you must do.

This is the way. The interest you pay goes into your 401k, too.

I know, It’s complicated. I have credit if I need it. Just trying to decide what’s best. Thank you.

Are you old enough to be an airline pilot?

Is anyone too old for a mom joke?

Dude, 110k is easy at SWA if you need to do it. First couple months in training will hold you back a bit but110k is only about 122 TFP a month. That gets you to 110 and that’s not counting 15% NEC.

Totally doable…like that other guy’s mom :)

Easily the dumbest question on this board. You are going to say no $300K+ down the road because you can't afford to live off $70K for a year? If you spend $110K/yr, but can't borrow $40K, I am not sure if your decision making capabilities qualify you for an ATP. No mom jokes required.

real quick escalation from asking a weird/stupidish question to “I banged your mom”. Love it. Don’t close this bad boy mods!

Can someone post a picture of the milf in question 😂

I too will require a picture or it didn’t happen

As others have pointed out, earning that amount at SWA is possible in the first year. It will require some hustle and patience but if you put your mind to it and keep the goal in focus, it is doable (I have quite a few friends as well as myself who have done it). You will simply need to prioritize your goals, make a plan and work the plan. Good luck in your endeavors.

You can earn more than $100K at Delta in your first year but that will depend on the ability to pick up additional flying.

There is a thread in SWA section in these forums that will tell you how. “Newbs work smarter not harder” or something like that.

Lots of jumping to conclusions about OP’s motives. For all we know he could have 3 kids in college and a sick family member. Maybe he’s a Ramsey guy and doesn’t want to borrow. So all the judgment on his question is ridiculous, lacking his personal details which are none of our business.

"Tell me you made poor life choices without telling me you made poor life choices".

I'm sure you could make at least $110K a year as an Influencer, a YouTuber, a TikTok celebrity, or a porn star. Well maybe not the porn star, I bet you're ugly.




(in before the lock)

Dorito dust and poor lighting in moms basement are career limiting in the porn industry.

I think you could at AS. IIRC the training guarantee is higher than the norm.

AS, like the others, has a high 401k DC... so you cash out the 401k and eat the federal penalty on that. You won't have to pay the penalty until year two.

There's always uber on days off.

By locking yourself into/pegging a minimum annual income you pretty much forfeited what's "best".

Jesus wept.

If you can't find enough to save enough to suck it up for a year and swap your $110k/yr for a much easier $250k+ year job, don't bother going to a major.

You'll just spend the extra cash on stupid crap and wind up in a bigger hole when the music stops (because it will, it always does, and ALWAYS at the worst possible time) than if you never left.

How can you make $100k and not have a 6-12 mo emergency savings fund in this business? You’re one medical, one violation, one furlough, or one carrier failure away from unemployment every single day.

(Credit checks used to be par for the course for high salary jobs, because they demonstrated things like time preference, financial discipline, long term planning etc. Very high predictors of absenteeism, as well. Alas and alack.)

It’s because he is spending so much money taking everyone’s moms out

Seriously? As a single father of three coming off a second furlough I can personally attest that 100k leaves no room for building up a war chest. That was over a decade ago when the dollar went farther.

Fun thread here but your quote doesn’t ring true.

Needing income is a prole tell, especially $110k/yr.

Give him a break, he needs to take his mom out. Do you know how expensive permits are to remove overhead power lines and street lights? Not to mention the hourly cost of a union crane operator and rental of a LTM 1200, $110,000 seems like he knows a guy that says he can do it.