Choices choices choices
 

Hey all, long time lurker first time poster. I made this super simple spreadsheet on Excel. It takes me about five minutes to just type my name in Excel. Anyhow, I know there is a lot more to consider than just Minimum Monthly Guarantee but as previously stated I've reached my Excel limitations already ! I figured one of you Excel nerds ( I say that with all the love in my heart, I'm just nerdy in other ways... ) have probably considered and made similar pay comparisons.

https://i.ibb.co/YkHL4Jh/Simple-Pay-Comparison.png

I made the assumption of the lower payscale at AA ( 737 ) and stopped at 15 years because I'm old. Basically looking at ~4ish years till flow date. I also have an opportunity on the table, obviously. I also went with a 5 year upgrade time.

Thanks for any input !

When you consider investing then LCC comes out way ahead

This is NOT the time to tack yourself on the bottom of a seniority list​​​​​​.

That having been said, are you able or willing to live in base better one place than another?

Currently live in the ULCC junior base and wouldn't mind staying here.

I commute to WO base with future plan to move to an AA base when I flowed.

Not too worried about being at the bottom of a list at this point. While there is definitely a need to be concerned, I'll be glad when the Nightly Opinion... I mean... News... finds its next shiny object.

Good point about investing.

You’ll be well ahead in DC contributions for the first 9 years at the ULCC as well. Years 10-15 in AA DC probably won’t be able to make up the difference.

Start living in base then.

Can always keep applying to the majors.

I didn't know that there were actually any pilots that actually thought that the ULCC's would still be around in 15+ years.

They are a flash in the pan. Look at all of the airlines of the past that have gone out of business. The current ULCC's are the same. Spirit is the new Peoples Express, Midway, or Hooters Air.

Can you make the spreadsheet go to 25 years?

Southwest was totally a flash in the pan. America West... more like American Airlines, amirite?

You do know that each of the current LCCs have been in business for over twenty years now, yeah?

I used to study this stuff religiously. Looking at prognostications and numbers for retirement and 401K and seniority movement. And then I realized that what every older pilot who’s seen a thing or 2 has said has been right all along...

Its all pointless. Too much changes too quickly to realistically try and predict too far in this industry. Make decisions based on what you know to be true today and what’s best for you now. Some things are predictable but overall this industry is a complete roll of the dice.