First time poster. Which Regional has the best benefits for a pilots wife and kids? Looking into medical and retirement especially. Have a special needs son with cerebral palsy/cognitive delays and need concrete numbers because I have to have good medical for him as his care needs are high and I need to figure out retirement for myself and his care for his life also. I’m not sure which Regional would be best as whatever major they bleed into is a huge consideration also for the same considerations.

 

XJT family rate for high deductible is about $75 per month deductible is 5,400 out of pocket max 10,000

Low deductible is about $600 per month $900 deductible out of pocket max 6,300.

Really you are better off taking the high deductible and putting the other $525 in an HSA but very few do that.

Retirement benefits they match 5% but it’s not vested until 5 years so if you plan on leaving before 5 might as well say nada on that side.

 

Thank you for answering. How does the out of pocket Max’s coincide with the pay? I understand regionals start off low, need to budget appropriately.

 

Air Wisconsin, while not the Belle of the ball anymore, has pretty amazing health plans, ($15 copay for darn near everything) and a decent 401k match. (3% regardless of your contribution, and up to 5% more, also vested in 5 years).

 

Endeavor has a high deductible HSA plan that runs $414 a month and a 80/20 PPO with a lower deductible that runs $975.

Generally, most pilots have found that the difference in premiums over the course of the year (which amounts to $6700) pays for the out of pocket maximum on the high deductible plan so it is generally a better deal whether you use it very little or use if a lot. All of this is tax free. For a family, the deductible is $2700 (of which $1350 is paid by the company with HSA seed money) after which there is 20% coinsurance to a $6000 out of pocket maximum. The traditional PPO has those very high premiums but also pretty steep copays ($25/$35), an $800 deductible for procedures, and a $3000 out of pocket maximum. So worst case $9700 out of pocket (tax free) on the high deductible plan versus $15,000 on the traditional plan.

Retirement at Endeavor is kinda a joke as well. They match 3% only for the first 4 or so years. Goes up from there, all the way to like a 12.5% match after year 20. It takes a few years to become fully vested but it’s not a “cliff.”

 

Pay is $40 per hour first year 42 second. 65 hr min during training 75 hr min after training. The. They have an Earned Quarterly Override that starts after training where you get paid 2500 once per quarter. The base pay is for sure on the low end but when you add in the extra 10,000 per year it’s not too bad.

Oddly enough the EQO means you actually get paid less per hour to pick up open time. Really makes no sense but hey whatever they wanna do.

 

I appreciate everyone who is answering. I was a little worried because I’ve been lurking for a bit and notice some snarky comments occasionally. I figured if I was honest about my sons disabilities, kindness and information would be the common theme and I was correct on the help from other pilots. Got to take care of each other at the end of the day. Thank you all!

 

I’ll second Air Wisconsin. The health insurance is absolutely phenomenal. I could walk outside, get hit by a bus, spend a month in the hospital and walk out with a $50 bill.

 

Piedmont’s health insurance is fantastic as well.

 

If you don’t need part 121, Gama has 100% paid health insurance with zero deductibles.