Estimated pay
 

I know the pay rates are on the airline profiles, but I’m just trying to get a no BS comparison of apples to apples. Being a commuter to Newark, not looking to pick up any extra fly, what is a new hire likely to bring home 1st year WB, 2end year WB, 3rd year 73 capt. (If that’s still available by then). How many days off would you average during that time? In that scenario would you basically be on reserve all that time? Is it better to bid a NB right from the start for QOL? How many days off a month would you have then?

Take your preferred widebody and multiply year one and two monthly pay rates by 73. That'll be your pay because you'll be on reserve. Take 737 captain rate and multiply monthly rate by 73, because you'll be on reserve for that too (probably). You'll get 12/13 days off a month being on reserve.

Given the option, you'll absolutely want to bid 737/320, especially as a commuter.

Considering the contract negotiations happening in just about every carrier, I wouldn't base my decision on year 2+ pay.

Ok thanks for the info!

To add to that, it might be hard to get the 500 hours required to upgrade at year 3 on WB reserve. You may have to downgrade to NB FO and build up some time before upgrading. Depending on where you live, that could be a really rough 6 (guess) years on reserve. But if you’re 24, probably doesn’t matter.

Wow so in two years in a wide body you still wouldn’t reach 500hr. Is that not getting used and your at home more or when you fly somewhere the overnight are that long. I wish I was 24 again!

Home if you live in Short Call range or you call your crash pad home. Or DHing to do 1 leg etc etc. WB FOs on reserve can also be rolled into days off so you have that bonus going for you…..

Well, if you’re not that young, you should have the option to avoid a WB. And as a commuter, most would advise to go to a NB. Pay is the same year one regardless.

How many hours does a WB FO typically get in a year? Say on a 777 out of SFO if it varies. And are there trips usually available to aggressively pick up?

I hope you realize that if you are on 4+ year captain pay at a regional, you'll make more money staying there than you will moving to United as a 737 FO until you upgrade. Look at the numbers. And there are many, many people who got stuck in the right seat for 10-15 years before they could upgrade.

Not many realize that regional (non-DEC) captains make more than their peers who are NB mainline FO's right now. (By peers, I mean two people who started flying for the regionals at the same time, one stayed and the other jumped to United).