United vs Southwest vs Atlas
#31
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,295
I remember sitting at an airport restaurant in Franklin Pennsylvania and a 1900 lands, handful of people hop off/on. Number 2 still running. And off they went. I was working on my private and I was blown away by how fast that went down.
#32
In a land of unicorns
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Position: Whale FO
Posts: 6,469
Hands down United… you can pick narrow body your first year, get a bunch of hours then bid 777 or 787. SWA you’re on a 737 for eternity… Atlas, pretty sure their 5-6 year widebody guys make about the same a 2nd year 777FO at UAL. Atlas lags greatly in pay and retirement for the effort of work put in.
Agree about the effort, but the money isn't that bad right now.
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2016
Posts: 831
3 year FOs based in Anchorage doing china flying and maybe picking up some days on top of the 17. Nothing to make future plans on. The bonus China money is temporary. Don’t think you’d be doing the guy a favor by talking him into Atlas over a Legacy.
#35
In a land of unicorns
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Position: Whale FO
Posts: 6,469
#36
Banned
Joined APC: Apr 2022
Posts: 70
Regional slave ships? Aren't you guys getting paid six figures with a guaranteed flow now? Hardly slave labor.
When I started at the commuters it was $13,000 per year salary, plus we had to pay for our own training for a 19 seat turboprop with no autopilot, no cockpit door, and no coffee maker, flying 6-10 legs per day. THAT was a slave ship (and looking back on it, I loved every minute of it!)
When I started at the commuters it was $13,000 per year salary, plus we had to pay for our own training for a 19 seat turboprop with no autopilot, no cockpit door, and no coffee maker, flying 6-10 legs per day. THAT was a slave ship (and looking back on it, I loved every minute of it!)
#40
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,921
Hello Guys,
I know there are many topics like this thread. However, my situation is a little bit different. I hope you can give me your best opinion about it! Thank you in advance.
Let me start with myself first. I'm not American and I have a green card. I always wanted to work as a pilot in the USA. Right now, I'm living in Dubai and flying B777. I recently resigned from my job and I'm in my notice period (3 Months! Yes you didn't read it wrong. It's 3 months). I have 4600 Jet hours (B777 and B737) and 0 PIC. I always flew as a FO in airlines. I got my unrestricted FAA ATP in AUG 2022 and I started applying for jobs after that. Until now, I got CJO from United, Southwest, and Atlas.
I also want to share my plan so that you can help me to choose the best for myself. I don't have close family in the US. Therefore I can live anywhere. I can make my home wherever I'm based at. I won't commute. I want to maximize my earnings over time. Also, I want to work smart not hard. Therefore, I would love to go to a company where I can maximize my earnings (upgrade time, contractual benefits, etc.,) and then want to have a nice lifestyle.
I'm not familiar with the part 121 world. I try to read here a lot. However, sometimes it takes too much time to understand contractual terms and abbreviations. I believe I will be better in time .
As far as I read, upgrade times are very short in the United right now. However, I have to fly 1000 hours before the upgrade either way since I don't have part 121 hours. However, I can be assigned to a wide body where it can take up to years to collect 1000 hours for the upgrade. On the other hand, If I'm assigned to an NB, do you think that with the new contract (if they fix the Reserve system) upgrades take years in United? They will hire more than 200 pilots next year and retirement rates are huge. In a couple of years, I can be on top of thousands of pilots on the seniority list.
Southwest, as far as I understand upgrade times are long. They say 6-7 years. However, in the interview they said, Upgrade times will be significantly shorter in the future since they are planning to increase the B737 fleet to 1000 aircraft. I know It's a projection and there is a huge room where the expected 3-4 years upgrade is not possible any soon. They will hire more than 2000 pilots and I can be on top of these 2000 guys in a year.
Atlas, I'm assigned to the B777 fleet. All flights are long-range. It looks like for the first 1-2 year I can more money than any others. However, 401K, Worklife, etc, is not great compared to United and Southwest. Upgrade times for B747 and B777 are around 6 years currently
Taking my situation into account, what would you choose for me? I want to work for a company for life from now on. I'm 33 and I've already changed 2 companies. I want to settle in and don't want to change companies anymore. From the short and long perspective,e taking into account stability, financial security, salary, upgrade times, quality of life, and future plans of the company which company should I choose? and in what order should I choose the companies? (if something goes wrong with the first option)
Thank you very much.
I know there are many topics like this thread. However, my situation is a little bit different. I hope you can give me your best opinion about it! Thank you in advance.
Let me start with myself first. I'm not American and I have a green card. I always wanted to work as a pilot in the USA. Right now, I'm living in Dubai and flying B777. I recently resigned from my job and I'm in my notice period (3 Months! Yes you didn't read it wrong. It's 3 months). I have 4600 Jet hours (B777 and B737) and 0 PIC. I always flew as a FO in airlines. I got my unrestricted FAA ATP in AUG 2022 and I started applying for jobs after that. Until now, I got CJO from United, Southwest, and Atlas.
I also want to share my plan so that you can help me to choose the best for myself. I don't have close family in the US. Therefore I can live anywhere. I can make my home wherever I'm based at. I won't commute. I want to maximize my earnings over time. Also, I want to work smart not hard. Therefore, I would love to go to a company where I can maximize my earnings (upgrade time, contractual benefits, etc.,) and then want to have a nice lifestyle.
I'm not familiar with the part 121 world. I try to read here a lot. However, sometimes it takes too much time to understand contractual terms and abbreviations. I believe I will be better in time .
As far as I read, upgrade times are very short in the United right now. However, I have to fly 1000 hours before the upgrade either way since I don't have part 121 hours. However, I can be assigned to a wide body where it can take up to years to collect 1000 hours for the upgrade. On the other hand, If I'm assigned to an NB, do you think that with the new contract (if they fix the Reserve system) upgrades take years in United? They will hire more than 200 pilots next year and retirement rates are huge. In a couple of years, I can be on top of thousands of pilots on the seniority list.
Southwest, as far as I understand upgrade times are long. They say 6-7 years. However, in the interview they said, Upgrade times will be significantly shorter in the future since they are planning to increase the B737 fleet to 1000 aircraft. I know It's a projection and there is a huge room where the expected 3-4 years upgrade is not possible any soon. They will hire more than 2000 pilots and I can be on top of these 2000 guys in a year.
Atlas, I'm assigned to the B777 fleet. All flights are long-range. It looks like for the first 1-2 year I can more money than any others. However, 401K, Worklife, etc, is not great compared to United and Southwest. Upgrade times for B747 and B777 are around 6 years currently
Taking my situation into account, what would you choose for me? I want to work for a company for life from now on. I'm 33 and I've already changed 2 companies. I want to settle in and don't want to change companies anymore. From the short and long perspective,e taking into account stability, financial security, salary, upgrade times, quality of life, and future plans of the company which company should I choose? and in what order should I choose the companies? (if something goes wrong with the first option)
Thank you very much.
This is easy decision. Atlas is a lower tier job. No offense to Atlas pilots, but overall it is. Shouldn’t even be a consideration.
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