Cage hands down. Don’t go anywhere else. There’s lots of prep companies out there including new start ups that seem to take a more trendy approach catering to the younger crowds now interviewing. Everyone I know, including myself, who used cage got the job. I unfortunately know quite a few people who didn’t get the job and they all prepped elsewhere (if they used prep at all).

As for hotels, I would say Double Tree or Renaissance. If you plan to walk, the actual distance you will need to walk is pretty close. While the Double Tree is physically closer to the TK building, you are on the wrong side of the campus for entry. You’ll need to cross the street and walk the full length of the property to get to the main security gate entrance. When you account for that, the Renaissance isn’t too much further of a walk.

I know people like the Double Tree because it’s the main short term training hotel and a lot of instructors and interviewers stay there and interviewees feel they may be able to “network” before their interview and get a leg up. The reality is, you very likely won’t meet anyone with enough pull to make a difference in the outcome of your interview. I’ve always taken the opposite mindset and approach. I want (and wanted before my interview) to be invisible. Just my $.02.

 

What are you talking about? There's a pedestrian entrance right on the corner next to the crosswalk from the DT to TK. Unless it closed since I last went to recurrent...

 

You can’t access that gate as an interviewee (look at the context of the post you’re replying to).

 

Cage for the interview prep hands down.

I’d go Renaissance. It’s comfier and a little quieter. Can’t really go wrong though.

 

DT and Emerald Coast Consulting

 

I also did DT and Emerald Coast. I don't think you can really go wrong with any of the big ones.

 

FWIW I did the online Cage course (less than $200 I believe) because I only had 6 days between invite and interview, and Cage couldn't fit me in. It gave me a few pointers that I felt were helpful. I also studied all day, every day for that interview as if my life depended on it. I felt that having rehearsed for as many TMAAT questions and studying as many gouge questions from aviation interviews was key. I was also told to know that interview packet front, back, upside down. Even know the number of pages in the packet. Now, my interview only had me go a few steps into the brief before we moved on and no question as silly as "how many pages" was asked. But better safe than sorry with an opportunity like this.

I stayed at Double Tree because I had just enough Hilton points to cover the whole stay.

 

Ascend Above is (or should be) the only answer.

He's United pilot on the hiring team. What more could you possibly want? And the insights he give are worth a lot more than what he charges for it.

 

How did you hear about that? I only ask because I’ve never heard of it, but certainly would have tapped into that resource if I had.

 

Met Nate and his team at PAPA last year. His credentials are impressive, and include masters degrees in HR.