That was helpful,…🙄 but why? Add a FedEx thought to your reply too plz, for my UA buddy that may leave for purple soon.

Solid advice! So helpful to understand the trade offs.


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If it is about QOL, go UPS, live on the western side of Lexington (pick some small town about 75 minutes from Edgewood) and buy the house next door for your in-laws. The difference in cost of living is so big you will still come out ahead. UPS is also a better bet financially than United, but I think this can be overblown. Odds are good that a career at United will be financially rewarding and easily meet your family’s needs.UPS offers greater financial rewards and a pension on top of the B plan. The upgrade at UPS is to widebody captain pay and you will be making widebody FO pay as soon as you hit year 2. Either choice should serve your family well. Finally, find some cush non-flying guard or reserve gig and finish out your twenty, especially if you go United. It’s worth it.

Boiler, how’d you like Frederick? Wife and I are looking for somewhere to put down roots in the DC area as we transition out of AD, and it’s high on our list of possibilities.

I ended up turning down UPS for UAL primarily based on the bases and commute. I know UPS has great commuter benefits like travel banks and mileage point accruals but I simply can't do it anymore. I also think they will be first in line to go single pilot if and when it becomes available and I've got 30+ years left in this racket.

I’m was a midwestern kid, but liked Frederick quite a bit. Town has grown a LOT in the last 15 years - no big surprise there - but still keeps a semblance of the small town feel. Less expensive than closer in but still not exactly inexpensive.

If I never drive 270 to the Beltway between 0530-0830 again I’ll be a happy man, though…

UPS 100%

NB captain at UA has been trending downward, but still not guaranteed and a UPS FO will make the same as a UA narrowbody captain with better retirement, job stability, etc

United 100% if you wanna live past your 67th or 68th birthday. That back of the clock flying wreaks havoc health wise.

Good thing all that widebody international flying United does never happens in the middle of the night...

While it is clinically proven that shift workers have shorter lifespans than non-shift workers, there have been no studies that show cargo pilots have shorter lifespans than passenger pilots.

Hi. 25 year UA guy, preceded by 2 years at DHL. Either way, finish 20 in the mil. As I'm crunching the retirement numbers, healthcare costs are a significant hurdle, and I'm envious of the guys with the tricare deal. That said, I do maybe 3-4 redeyes a month. Night hub turns at a cargo carrier ain't that. Two years of the nightly freight thing made me at least 10 years older. Our big changeover at DHL was Monday night/Tuesday morning, and when you walked into the ready room you could tell by looking at them who was on day one and who was on day seven. If you're not at an airline now you probably can't jumpseat, but if you can I HIGHLY encourage you to jumpseat into SDF, sit through the sort, and jumpseat out. If you really want to taste the sweet nectar of night freight, do it for a week. Those guys aren't making bank because Mama Brown loves them (she doesn't, but that's beyond the scope here.)