Regional minimum contract commitment times?
 

Newbie question. As a retiring AF pilot with 1400ish hours (F-15 guy by trade), if I pick up a job with a regional to get past the 1500 bar minimum (I can retire in December), am I always committed by contract for a certain time, or would I be free to move up to the majors should they call. Does anyone know the typical length of times for the higher paying regional airlines? I'm having a difficult time researching the answer online. Recommendations welcome. Thanks.

Where are you currently stationed? And what regional(s) are you looking at?

Bail at any time.

The only current contracts are for sign-on bonuses.

Even then, you would only owe them the sign-on bonus. Financially it may be worth it to pay them back.

Short answer: No contracts. Employee at will.

Go to a carrier that doesn't have any contract. Endeavor has no contract, gives a 3k bonus at the end of training, and 6.6k bonus every 4 months after that for the first year.

I don't know of any regionals that have a training contract anymore. I think Compass may have been the last one, and that went away last summer.

You can feel free to quit at any time with no obligation. I know of military bros who finished training, updated AirlineApps with their new type rating and 121 training program completion, received interviews and job offers within a month, and were gone from their regional within 2 months of finishing training.

I thought Mesa was the only one with a training contract, but I could be wrong.

I believe this is true. Mesa is the only company that will require you to sign a training contract that you will need to pay back. There are many better options.

From my RAH offer letter

Your retention of the Signing Bonus is contingent upon your successful completion of the Republic Airlines First Officer training program and 2 years' service with the Company. Should you resign, fail to complete ground school, systems or simulator instruction, or be discharged for cause within 2 years' from your start date, you will be required to repay the prorated amount of the Signing Bonus based on your accrued service at the time of separation.

Thank you for your service!

This^^^... I'd go to Endeavor, get current, make a little extra bonus money, and get your apps out at the legacies or wherever you want to go. Couple military guys in my class at PSA did this a couple years ago and they were gone within 6 months. One to Delta as soon as he finished his check ride in the sim and one to JetBlue a few months after. And worst case scenario you get stuck at Endeavor for a bit you're still collecting bonus money without a training contract.

It's too bad you even need to go to a regional