Just out of curiosity, how much are they asking for ATP CTP and type? I would caution anyone doing the cadet program. With the massive hiring sprees the legacies are on lately, I would rather find a cheaper way to build your time without committing to a program that forces you to pay back training costs and loans with interest rates if you leave within three years. With the amount of money the legacies are paying two and three year FO's you are essentially lose by being tied to these programs. IMO.

This this this absolutely this... Don't limit yourself!

This has been a big concern of mine. From what I’ve heard the type and atp/ctp come out of your 50k bonus. So you get something like 35k.

I’m a cadet in the program and debating whether it would be better to go to a 135/regional for say a year get a little experience then apply to either spirit, frontier, or other majors with lower minimums. But then that whole route would probably take 2-3 years before a legacy vs just being at frontier for 3 then a legacy (without considering the QOL that frontier offers). So far I think the 3 years is worth it. Also depending on what happens with Fredricks v Ameriflight maybe that could change.

I don’t know anything about the cadet program or even what’s involved with the ATP/CTP since that portion of my training was so long ago and I haven’t kept up with that. But I left a very well paying part 135 to come here and would do it again. YMMV but for me it has been the correct choice. So unless you intend to fly 135 or 91 in the long term I would stay away from that route as you’re most likely wasting your time and it bears repeating, “seniority is everything.”

Do what you think is best for you! However, I too would not tie into commitments. Delta for example has removed their 1000-hour fixed-wing turbine time requirements. So you might think three years, but in all reality you could get the invite not long after you reach the required minimums. Based on my calculations, you would lose over 90k by staying at Frontier.

For example, three years combined (approximates) at F9 would get you around $311K (90, 106, and 114). We won't be passing a new contract anytime soon in my opinion. At Delta on the A321 around $403K (91, 144, and 168). The first year are pretty much the same, but between second and third year pay, you make around $92K more at Delta. Either way, do what what you want. If you go through the program, then nothing stops you from taking a loan and repaying Frontier when you get your invite to one of Big Three.

Good Luck!

The new numbers on the 321 NEO are 108, 171, & 201 ($480k)....and increase annually through 2026.

With this being said, do you think going to somewhere such as Ameriflight and building single pilot multi turbine for about a year or less would give enough experience to go to Frontier/Spirit given the current hiring? Then I could skip the commitment from the contract or does that sound like a bad idea.

Ameriflight is terrific experience and you would be hired easily if all your other ducks were in a row. It's a challenging gig but you'd come out of it with excellent flying skills.

Are you saying that at 1500 hrs you could go straight to Delta and bypass Frontier completely? If a cadet goes from 1500 hr CFI to frontier FO and spends 3 years there then goes to DL (or any legacy) wouldn’t an appropriate apples to apples comparison have to account for what happens in the time span between the 1500 hr mark and DL FO. You calculated the first three years at F9 to the first three years at DL and sure DL is higher. But is DL possible at the same time that F9 becomes possible?

That is exactly right. You cannot go into DL or any major with ATP minimuns, so you need to do your time at a regional or F9 either way. So if you can skip barbie jets and go right into an airbus, with the superior QOL, why not do it? If you get called up to a major before the 3 year contract is up, pay it back and sayonara. It may sound like a lot to pay back, but what I am doing is not spending the bonus money, and if I have to pay the 15-20k for the ATP/Type rating to get into a Legacy carrier early it is a no brainer. You will make that back in half a months pay at the end of your career when you are at the top of the pay-scale. It's all about the long game.