Quote:
Originally Posted by 07Driver
Well right now I have Southwest Stockholm Syndrome.
There's no easy answer; based on CURRENT conditions, you'll be better off financially at United. While the hourly wage for the 737 is comparable, the 16% contribution to the retirement is significant. Hypothetically, you're looking at > $20k /year getting invested and compounding over the length of your career. With the significantly longer forecast upgrade time at Southwest, those financial differences will be even more exaggerated.
I was never interested in flying for Southwest. You fly in the right seat of a 737, then you upgrade, and then you fly in the left seat of a 737. Lather, rinse, repeat. Don't get me wrong, it's a reasonably stable job that pays well, but you could say the same thing about being an electrical engineer. I like the variety that a career at United, American, or Delta provides over a 30 year span. Narrow body, Wide body, Domestic, International. It's nice to have options over a long career.
Just my two cents.