one of the few people hoping for OAK since I’m west coast, are people not getting that straight out of training?

I’d never buy a ticket. Use the Jumpseat. If you are jumpseating on company metal, you only need one commute flight if it gets you into base 1 hour prior to your report time. You’ll need 2 commute flights if you are using OAL, or if on company metal and it doesn’t get you to base 1 hour prior to report. If these items are met you are protected under the commuter clause of the contract. Now granted you will lose money but you won’t lose your job.

ORD MDW is easy. Uber 70 bucks or orange line to blue line for for about 2 bucks.


Don’t forget you can get flight deck or 4th ( the FA jump seat ).800 has 2 . 4th is first come first serve . The aisle/coke donkeys may think the are more worthy of it but that fact remains it Is FCFS.


The FAs also feel they should make as much as the FO. I guess handing out a DP is much harder than one would realize.

Thanks Tenacvols...much better plan!

I saw the blue to orange line today was showing about 1:20 minute ride which isn’t horrible. I’m about a 4:15 drive to MDW which would almost be a toss up between driving and doing all that commuting. I know nothing about the JS rules here yet but I’m sure it would work out.

The next 2 points of your response is literally almost everywhere I’ve been and hilarious.

Some are. Depends on the vacancy bid for that month. They grew the west coast the last couple years to staff the HI flying at the expense of the bases on the eastern half of the US. Last bid grew the Midwest and east coast. May bid opens tomorrow so will have a better idea in a few days where new guys are going.

4:15...I'd consider driving. The actual train ride is 1:20 but it's a long walk to the train station at ORD, then another shorter walk at MDW. Plus the time to get to your commute airport, park, get through security, etc. And theoretically, you need two flight options offline to comply with commute policy. I tried commuting through ORD for awhile and ended by buying a fuel efficient, comfortable car that is invisible to the highway patrol. Your car is never weight restricted, always leaves on your schedule, and you can't be bumped for an online pilot showing up at the last moment.

Still trying to weigh all my options. Easiest is first option: 1:25 drive to CMH, 4-5 direct flights to MDW per day, hotel/crash pad. Is it safe to assume a new hire will be used most if not all days on reserve? That could play into the driving option if I was going to have to sit a few days or be used most of the days.

New hires, are usually on weekend reserve which often gets used. HOWever, if its a 4 day block, I see lots of guy not getting used day 1, then getting assigned day 2. So you would burn 2 hotel nights sometimes, or get a pad. Luckily it looks like its only a few (3-4) months on reserve then you should be into blanks if hiring continues.

You will likely be used most days and can actually set that preference. You can also look into trading reserve for trips, although when it's busy that's tough to do.

I'd drive the whole things or commute online with the 1:15 drive rather than the ORD option. I commute offline quite a bit but when flights are full it can be dicey.