United v. Spirit
 

Hey fellas just looking for some career advice here. Currently at an ACMI, and I'm looking to be better rested and not work as hard for my money. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances at both companies and it's likely that depending upon which path I take I have a decent chance of getting a call at one or both. I don't have 1000 TPIC yet (which UA requires), but I have some jet PIC from my previous corporate life, I meet all the other min req's for both airlines. I'm very close to upgrade at my current employer, but the job is brutal enough as an FO and even more so as a Captain. So I'm trying to make the decision... do I pull every string I have and try to see if I can get an interview with Spirit without the PIC, or should I hold out and get the PIC time and go for a Legacy? Not trying to come off as conceited, neither might call me, just playing the hypotheticals here. Are there any former ACMI guys at NK that can weigh in?

The people I know at Spirit seem really happy, but there's one old acquaintance I heard left for UPS. I've also read on these forums of Spirit pilots leaving for Delta and UA. How does the narrow-body QOL compare between them? I know the pay is less, especially on the high end of the pay scale (comparing the A320 Spirit vs. A320 UA). I know you guys have a lot of good work rules, like min of 4 days between trips etc. Why do pilots leave Spirit for a Legacy? Is it just to eventually fly a widebody and make $300+/hour or is there something else I'm missing? How does the retirement compare?

My personal situation, I'm married with a young family and just turned 40, so the 20 days on the road per month is getting old. I dig flying the widebody, but I've flown all over the planet and would be fine with never flying one again, been there done that. It would really spice up my resume to put widebody PIC on it, but being a junior Captain at my company is probably one of the most brutal jobs in industry right now. I currently live in TX and have lived in FL before. I love both states so basing is mostly irrelevant as I'd be willing to move.

I appreciate your responses. I know there's no "clear" right answer. What are your thoughts?

One last question: What overnights do NK pilots have in South America? Is it only Lima?

DELTA...............j/k it all depends, nobody can give you the right answer. Spirit is awesome, UAL I’m sure is awesome. In a nutshell I’d say Spirit will offer more time at home, UAL will offer more money.



FYI
UAL absolutely does not require 1,000hrs TPIC.

Appreciate that.

Wish I could offer more insight but we have a TON of former ACMI guys who will chime in and give you more insight

Are you a woman or a person of color? If not, I'd settle for Spirit :)

Personally, unless your deadset on flying anything bigger than a 321 again I’d go to whomever gives you a CJO first. I know plenty of qualified people who never got the call from either. IMO can’t go wrong with NK or UA.

If you want to wait for a legacy, you can just as easily do that at Spirit. That is to say, you don't have to stay at your ACMI either way.

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Fair point, but I'm 40 not 30 and I'm hoping to retire at 60 (maybe I'm crazy for saying that out loud). If I was in class tomorrow at NK I would probably be in the top 10-15? percent seniority-wise by then, but it would probably be what? 4-5 years from now to reach 1000 PIC as CA at Spirit? By that point if I made the jump, I would be pushing 45 and would probably be only 50% on the UA list when I turned 60. I guess what I'm saying is I'm looking for what gets me the better QOL in the shorter term. Plus I hate starting at the bottom and really only want to do it one more time, unless I don't have a choice of course.

really? I don’t know the spirit schedules that well, but even prior to the world melting down we had many widebody reserves going months without going to work other than landings classes.

For the first ten years the money will be a push, although the QOL will be better at Spirit and getting a Florida base will be as simple as not actively trying to avoid one. That’s only because you’ll likely upgrade quicker. After that the money will be better at UA. A 12 year CA at UA is making $31 an hour more plus 1% more of the larger salary 401k contribution.

Although realize that when you upgrade at either you’ll take a real hit to QOL from senior FO if you aren’t living in base, so if TX or FL is a must, that may play into your decision.


Probably not. Due to the relative youth of the pilot group NK has a small fraction of the retirements UA has coming. Prior to COVID they were expanding 15% per year with very few retirements.
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