It's not all about pay rate. There's also the conditions put on that hourly amount.

Let's say I tell you I'll give you a million dollars... Sounds great right? But I will only give it to you in equal amounts over the next 40 years.
That's $25,000 per year. How do you like that deal now?

Why do I make that example? Well the hourly rate at SkyWest may be lower but consider what your deadhead pay is. If it's 80% elsewhere that pays $40/hour, that's actually only $32 an hour.
There are other little goodies written into their contract (pilot policy manual- a signed written agreement between the pilots and the company which some people don't call a contract) that will have you earning more with lower hourly rates.
Like ready reserve being paid above guarantee instead of included. Etc etc

Plus bonuses are deceptive. I'm pretty sure it's a 25% tax. So take 3/4 of what they are saying you'll get, and that's the actual sum.

How does one answer this objectively, without having worked at all of the choices at the same point in time? People only know about where they currently work. You have the typical Skywest pilot touting how a union and contract is not really needed, to the Envoy guys trying to convince the world that they have a short upgrade and short flow time, to the Mesa guys that simply say, "don't come here". If this was 2013, hands down I would suggest Mesa.

That's not how it works. Yes, bonuses have tax initially withheld at a higher rate than most regional pilots' marginal tax brackets, but when you file your 1040, bonuses are treated no differently than regular income.

I lol'd at this because it's true.

You need to outweigh your options and figure out what's important to you. If location/domicile is your #1 priority then you can't chase the highest pay. You won't find a company that satisfies all your needs but Skywest mainly hires successfully for the west coast domicile and stability for older guys who may never move on(my assumption). If you want more money and don't care about base being New York or Chicago for a long period of time, then go somewhere that pays more. I have friends who are going to be LGA based for probably 2 years and making possibly 10-20k more than me. Wasn't worth it to live or commute that far for my lifestyle so I decided against that.

The problem with these threads are too many people with soft skin. They get upset when someone says something negative about their carrier almost like it's personal. Also, people don't understand the concept that people have different wants and needs. As soon as you figure out what YOU want then pick the carrier you want. People on the Internet can only give you information based on their airline, not decide for you. Maybe they have kids, maybe they already live east coast or mid west, maybe money isn't an issue for them, maybe they just want a fast upgrade....we could go on all day....

And CHALLENGE what a recruiter tells you....

Do your research!!!!! Projections are a lot different and skewed by all recruiters at all carriers. Sounds like you probably know that being from the military? That's why people get disgruntled and make flying with them so bad because they have unrealistic and high expectations. Have a back up plan, do your research, and don't come into it like the company owes you anything....it's the airlines. What you hear today could be totally different tomorrow morning.

Well having worked for more than one airline I've got some insight into giving advice on how to pick.
You're right though the best insight would come from someone who has worked at all of them... But I doubt there's anyone that has. The other thing that can be done objectively​ is to ask pilots from each company the pros and cons make a list then decide.

Not having a union vs having one isn't what I'd be worried about, more QOL and the leadership of the company. Having worked at union shops and seeing how it's grieve and fly it, maybe there is something more than Kool Aid at SkyWest? I think that their pilot group would know since they have guys from PSA, American Eagle, Mesaba, Great Lakes​, Mesa... You get the point, guys that have worked at a union airline yet have not voted in ALPA.

I would not have suggested this guy go to Mesa in 2013, nor today. I would not suggest he go to TSA or anyone owned by Hulas Kanodia, at least not without doing the research and understand the history.

I would suggest if he's short sighted enough to exclude SkyWest from his research on a company he might consider that he aims for a wholy owned. So AA WO- Envoy, PSA, Piedmont, DL WO-Endeavor.

Essentially this guy really needs to do some homework, talk to a pilot at each of the companies he's considering to get their pros and cons, the more the better so it's more objective rather than one ****ed off guy.

So I found out something I didn't know, that since I'm already RW instrument/commercial rated I get a very accelerated FW course. FAA approved curriculum of 26.5 hours for private, 15 instrument, 10 commercial, 15 multi engine. That's it, 66.5 hours. That's all the GI Bill will pay for hour wise for each portion of training. So unless I want to go deep out of pocket to get more hours, looks like I'm going to a WO AA company that will pay for $23k in flight time to get my FW time up.

At least I'll have my FW ratings quickly lol

I think Envoy will be a good move. Like you say may as well have them pay for your conversion.

I'm going to get yelled at for this, take a look at Republic. Nice people, E170/175. You're not going to spend the rest of your life at these places, go to where the pay is good, the people are cool and solid equipment. Good contract and pay. Something like 12 bases, yes there are senior bases like every airline in the world. Yes, you may have to pay your dues out of Lagarbage for a few months. Blah, blah, blah.

Additionally, you will be bumped off of the jumpseat from time to time. I use to commute out of Pensacola to Boston, those were long and horrible days of commuting.

Frankly, everyone of these regionals should increase their pay significantly, no matter how good the contract is, it could always be better.