I have an offer for skywest late October but am considering mesa if they can get me in early August. My ultimate goal is to be dfw based.
Pros and cons for skywest better pay, overall better Qol, but looking at several months of commuting before being able to hold a line at dfw.

Pro and cons of mesa probably hold dfw much faster, faster training date, and as of now probably faster upgrade times, but lower pay.

I think mesa would be the better choice and if ultimately it's not a good pick I could always apply direct captain to skywest once I had the time. Thoughts and opinions?

 

No DEC at skywest as far as I know

 

Mesa & Skywest....

That’s like comparing Southwest & Sun Country.....

Is it a serious question or are you just trolling.... I’m leaning towards you trolling based upon the level of info available about the pay, benefits, working conditions of both jobs....

Whichever way you go, recycling yourself later for a lateral move is stupid. Go to the better job to start with.

Personally, get in and get some time... then get out to a good ACMI or LCC quickly. You can probably do both before ever upgrading at a regional. What is your end goal? If it is AA then if Mesa is seriously a consideration for you, you should do Envoy instead. Have direct flow to AA in your back pocket as an insurance policy if you don’t go to Spirit with their DFW base after 500 hours at the regional

 

Look at it this way.

Sign-on bonus: Mesa is currently offering $30k for CRJ pilots. Skywest is offering $7500.

Pay: Mesa FO starting pay - $36/hr, Skywest - $45

DFW based: Mesa, you can hold it after training. Skywest, no idea.

Upgrade: Mesa, upgrade after 1000 SIC, and probably still be DFW based. Skywest, I think the same, but will have to move to a junior base after upgrade.

Class dates: Mesa can get you in class in a couple weeks. Skywest in late October. You’ll be almost finished training with Mesa by the time the Skywest class starts.

Flying: You’ll fly a lot with Mesa. Short reserve in DFW (if any) after training. Skywest I have no idea.

Skywest has the largest fleet, largest pilot group, most bases, decent pay, good QOL as far as I know, and has contracts with 4 legacies. But no pilot union.

Mesa has low pay (but lots of flying, some at 200-300%), 145 aircraft, about 1370 pilots, 5 bases, decent QOL and contracts with 2 legacies. ALPA pilot group.

Get all the facts, and don’t believe everything bad you hear coming from pilots who don’t work at the regional they’re bashing.

 

I don't think southwest VS sun country is a good comparison as both of those would be someone's end game VS a regional stepping stone. But the post was completely serious. If the ultimate goal is to fly and get out as fastest as possible wouldn't mesa make sense? Endure the suck for a short term to get out as fast as possible? But no aa I could care less about the flow. Long term would be south west/FedEx, ups, k4 maybe

 

I find it hard to believe in this market that Sun Country is anyone’s “end game”. Their rates are awful.

 

That’s why it was a poor comparison. All regionals suck. Some just suck less.

 

Hey Flyboy, do you mind if I PM you about Mesa?

 

Not at all. Be glad to answer any questions.

 

ACMI/LCC aren't realistic after just 500 hours at a regional.
Spirit mins are 3000/1000 multi, 4000/1500 "preferred".