Honestly you have to remember that the same people respond to these threads with the same things. It can be summed up as : we are a trucking company not an airline, management hates you, our schedules are so terrible you will die. I don’t know if these people actually fly any of the things they hate so much, and I’ve met plenty of pilots here that love the things I hate. I’m five years in, watching people I know upgrade (juniority must not be too terrible) and I have way more good days than bad. Friends junior to me bid week on week off schedules with tickets on each end. I fly and bid international trips specifically to work out and sleep- and it works great for me. I’d say the two top things we have going for us is #1 there is something here for everyone and you have the freedom to find what that is and #2 - we can get up and use the bathroom whenever we want.

Good luck all.

this is good info, thank you! Every forum/thread has it’s negative folk in em, just trying to shed some light on what makes ups schedules so bad.

Well said and seconded.

It’s possible to have 18-20 a month off at UPS. People don’t seem to be taking into account conflict bidding and vacation. If money isn’t a motivator for you, it’s definitely doable. One week OVC slide twice a year and don’t restore the deficit- with savvy bidding that alone can get you 10-12 weeks off. Get a few good conflicts, get sick a few times, and you’re there. I averaged out work days for 2021 and it came out to 9 a month. That’s not including commute days. Keep in mind I’m ANC 747. We have 2 training events per year and typically longer trips, so we have better luck with conflicts.

You did mention that your problem with SW is how hard you work on your on days. Don’t come here expecting to work less. It’s different but no easier. After flying 6 years of long haul, day flying at SW sounds pretty good, no matter how many legs it is.

I don't think it would be a good choice for you to switch. You would be 5 years at least for Captain at ups. Then junior schedules forever working nights 55-65. Less block hours worse hours. Many of the retirements at UPS happen before 65. If it was not for poor working conditions why wouldn't they stay? Personally I prefer to fly more and be awake in the daytime. Jumpseat around on a few UPS trips before making the change. The nights haven't gotten easier for me over the years.

I rarely see the ability to get 20 days off a month unless you have vacation that bid period.

I'm thinking about leaving America for UPS after 2 years. At AA second pay doesn't start till a year after you finish training. When does second year pay start at UPS? DOH? Thanks

yes - DOH.

I am able to get always 15 days off, usually 17-18 days off, and when I am lucky, 20 days off. I usually pick-up 2 extra trips that boost my TFP (hourly pay) to an average of 118TFP per month. I drive to work, 40 minutes so I can usually do turns and still take kids to school and be home to tuck them in. It's just when I pin on Captain at SWA, it will be a west coast commute to Captain in about 2-3yrs away. I think I rather just go UPS and commute to SDF and have the less stress of work that I face with pax and world's busiest airport. My highest gross income in 2022 so far was $31k but I average around $15-17k per month. Am I being to stingy and don't realize what I have?

You do turns and get to see your kids morning and evening. You drive to work.

You’re gonna give that up to commute to the left coast for a first available upgrade, or commute to SDF and do night sort for a year or two?

If you hate pax then by all means come over…but IMO that is a lot of QOL you’d be sacrificing.

Any chance you can jump seat for a few days on ups? Follow a crew around for a domestic trip?