Good to know, thanks!

Agreed. Wait for the base—don’t sign any leases.

I did a crashpad when first hired out of Houston. If I had to do it again I wouldn’t and would just get a hotel. The amount of money you save isn’t that significant. The convenience factor (and safety factor- walking to crashpad in questionable area) wasn’t worth it.

You could always play it month to month and start with hotel. If it gets too expensive, start looking for a crashpad.

Also under normal years, September and February would be your greatest months of going unused.

How long to hold MCO? Considering leaving G4 but I refuse to commute long term and don't have any desire to move.
Trying to decide if SWA would be better for me, y'all make significantly more than I can currently.
Right now I'm looking at indefinite reserve, indefinite working on weekends, upgrade is basically never unless I change bases and move which I don't want to do, and terrible management that regularly violates the contract.
I know MCO upgrade is long but its a moot point since its the same deal if I stay where I am. I'm really just looking at compensation and schedule and wondering if its worth it to make the switch and start from the bottom again.

Once the movement starts, it should be within 6 months. But upgrade? At least 5 years longer than the first available.

which G4 base do you call home?

Might as well apply and see what the options are…

Guessing SFB.

MCO is perennially senior. Once the new hires really start flowing in, there will be a junior cohort that starts working it's way in to MCO. Last big new hire wave, we eventually had guys hold it in their first month.

Upgrade is always and forever going to be long in Orlando. There will always be older captains moving to that area as long as taxes are low and the weather is nice. There just isn't much movement off the top and so it gets really stagnant, especially on the captain side.

Yes, SFB based. I figured that would be the case with upgrade. Upgrade in sfb is basically never going to happen. The base has been shrinking and doesn't show any signs of it growing again. Our pilot group is fairly young so SFB as a whole is stagnant and the captain side is very stagnant. 50% on the CA side is 15 years currently and there's virtually zero movement.

It seems whether at G4 or WN, being based in orlando is going to be slow moment so just weighing the options to see which will afford better pay and qol. WN has the pay, but G4 qol is pretty good aside from only ever getting tues, wed, and sat off. Just not really sure if going back to overnighting is worth it.