Average time to upgrade at Spirit?
 

Just curious. Thinking about making an LCC like Spirit my goal as I'm 50 years young and getting back into aviation after an extended layoff.

Basically weighing time and earnings as an FO and CA at an LCC versus a major over the next 13 or so years.

Thanks in advance.

It’s 3.5-4 years “now” however, without another airplane order, you may never upgrade. Start with this:

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/s...er-spirit.html

Thanks, appreciate it.

Lots of 4-5 year captains at delta on the 80 and 717. LCCs don’t have a time to upgrade advantage at this time.

That absolutely all depends on where you live and if you want to commute or not. DTW 717 captain is about 11-12 years.

Only in New York. Atlana MD-88 captain hit the bottom of the Delta list at one point, but that fleet is getting parked and those junior captains are getting displaced. Captain at the big D is still well over a decade unless based in NYC.

I’d commute or move to NY if it meant an extra $150k plus 16% of that plus profit sharing on it as well. It’s not like our new upgrades at spirit can get any base they want either.

I think that is a number/time span that is going to rapidly change.

As stated earlier, without another aircraft order and based solely on retirements, at your age you would never upgrade.

But even with sustained growth, say hiring 300 and upgrading 150 per year, an FO hired today is looking closer to 6-7 years, unless there is several consecutive years of explosive growth.

This of course does not factor in economic cycles.

You’d be in the vast minority, and the fact that those slots were going so junior speaks to that.

I’m sure they were going jr but I’d take the upgrade and commute too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you ever been based in LGA or JFK??
Living there wouldn’t be bad, but be ready to pay up!! Nice places aren’t cheap.

That puts you in the minority too. Nothing wrong with that, but most at Delta put quality of life over seat and compensation with regard to LGA captaincy.

Average time to upgrade at Spirit?
 

No doubt commuting sucks (did ewr before) but now I live in base and have to commute to try and get off reserve so.....all just depends on preferences/qol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good to know also. Thanks.

Thanks.


filler

But the OP is trying to weigh a career earnings based on upgrading in a short period at an LCC and longer at a legacy. I just wanted to point out to him that there are short upgrades at legacies now too while ours is getting longer. We don’t know where he lives or where he wants to be based. Based purely on money alone and taking first available upgrade wherever you are the much higher earnings is at the legacies without question. All variables are subject to change.

I have commuted to NYC in two separate periods of time, yes. I hated it but you don’t move to a base for a regional or near NYC on regional pay.

If I was at delta and it was an 8-10 year upgrade where I currently live or a two year upgrade in NYC I would move my family to within two hours of NYC and collect my extra $1 million plus over the next 6-8 years and then think about moving out if I could or wanted to at that time. That doesn’t even account for what my extra retirement contributions and profit sharing on captain pay would grow into by my retirement horizon. This also assumes I couldn’t hold widebody FO at my base of choice at or before the time I could hold marrowbody captain in NYC. That’s not everyone’s gig though I know that. For a new hire at any major airline it’s worth noting if they are doing a financial comparison

No problem. Wish we all had a crystal ball. It’s really a dice roll. Economic collapse, a war, retirement age change, plane crash at Spirit, a poorly run merger followed by a bankruptcy, etc all play rolls in ones career outcome.

Current Upgrade Times at FedEx:

757 - 2 years or less
Airbus - 5 years
767 - 8 years
777 - 15 years

Many Legacy/Cargo Widebody FO's can make as much, if not more than a Spirit Capt.

Just food for thought.

Very interesting.

Thanks.

Don't forget after flying boxes on the backside of the clock most of your career you get to keel over when you retire. Can't take all that extra money with you.

Flying at FedEx isn’t anything like corrosion corner in MIA. I met a one year guy at FedEx and he flew less red eye than we do at spirit.

That’s a common misconception. I’ll have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to avoid the night flying. Last year (yr 2 on property) I flew 349 (Night) and 331 (Daytime) Block hours. My typical pairing is one leg, 24-36 hour layover and then one leg home.

Typical opinion of someone who isn't actually familiar with our operation or the opportunities here. Yes, we fly a lot at night. But also during the day. In fact, I don't think you can fly a widebody, and have a completely domestic daytime schedule, except at FedEx (maybe a handful of super senior guys at the pax legacies?).


Jeez, you're working way too much for FedEx! I don't think I've heard of anyone actually blocking nearly that much here. I blocked 270 for all of last year (no reserve).

Sorry for thread drift. Back to original programming...

Looks like a lot of night to me. https://youtu.be/JZ41PAFe1Bw
Some daytime in there when the sun comes up.

Do the same video in Vegas and FLL from 2200-0000.

LAS NK: lost my day currency several times...

Airbus/737 captain at AA is 5 years in LGA, PHL, DCA and LAX. MIA is around 6.

Pretty sure United is 3-4 years as well.

How/ why are you blocking so much? In 6.5 years I’ve blocked roughly 1950 hours. WTH man...

Sorry for the thread drift y’all. I’ll give this one response and then let’s get back on topic.

Simply put......I Hustle.

I’m making at Year 2/3 what you’ve indicated you made at years 6/7. To each his own. We’ve all got our reasons for flying the schedules we prefer.

It’s a beautiful thing that we’re both allowed the schedule freedom and flexibility to either fly as little as possible or as much as we’d like to.

Hey, welcome to the Spirit room guys. Yellow coasters on the table are for the taking. Just $5.79 each. You're welcome to come here and chat anytime. :)

Still giving out Free High Fives? ;)

They come with a picture of a cupcake too!!