I feel like there's a lot of discussion in here about what UPS pays and their alleged quality of life, so I guess I'll be a dissenting voice.

While it's true you'll make more at UPS and you'll probably have more days off, there's very little discussion of what those days off might look like. Unlike FX, which is substantially larger and has more daytime flying, the overwhelming majority of UPS' flying is on the back side of the clock. In addition to the known health risks long-term (https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-...tshift-cancer/), how many of those days off would you spend just trying to acclimate to or from your late work schedule? Realistically, you're probably looking at a minimum of one day off before and after a work trip to reacclimate to the standard daytime schedule. How productive would you be on those days? Only you can answer that, I suppose.

That day on the front and back side works if you’re younger, but the older you get the worse it gets. Leaving the east coast in the evening, sitting 2-3 hours through a sort, flying to the west coast, and trying to sleep during the day with people and housekeeping banging around in the halls is brutal. I’d rather just fly a domestic daytime passenger 4 day, even in a 737.

Not sure how many people contributing to this thread are actually UA WB pilots. I am.

Yes you can probably try to fly and break guarantee as a reserve. Why work hard when paid the least though….

Right now junior line holders were hired a year ago. I suspect that will slow down a bit but who knows with all the airplanes on order. Waive everything and people even junior to that are getting lines. Get a line, and you can fly 90-95hrs no problem. For the even better good deal stuff, you’ll need to live local or have some seniority, but it’s not 10 years. I have less and cleared over 130 and 140hrs credit in 2 of the last 6 months. Never worked more than 11 days in a month either.

for QoL, you need to look at trips and compare. You can work 9 days for around 75 hours at Ua if you want. Stay on home time zone if desired. If you fly a WB, idc what airline you’re at, you’re going to fly at night. Personally I think out and back intl flying is easier having compared my trips with freight trips. That night sort stuff has to be hands down the worst flying anyone can do. Having done it all, a simple double augment intl out and back is the easiest and requires no recovery time for me. Easy to stay on home body clock, and 3 or 4 trips gets you a compliant line.

I will add, pension + b fund is nice. Higher b fund (presumably going to match deltas)plus good performance could yield a comparable result. How long does pension remain as companies everywhere are trying to shed them. Personally I’d probably prefer the UPS combined retirement package, but then again with 18% and our upgrade times, you can go straight to a $350hr nb Capt seat if it’s just about money and make more. (New contract speculation)

1.5 years in west coast WB gets you normally 18 days off and mid 80s credit or 19 days off and mid 70s. Depending on where you commute from, almost everything is commutable. Kind of split between Asia and EU. Asia being HND, NRT and HKG all in the non-flying seat. The EU stuff is CDG, MUC, FRA and LHR at my seniority. There are some domestic trips you can get stuck with and some HNL W trips that are okay if HI is your thing.

Thank you.
There seem to be a lot of pros and cons for both options.
Since I only have 12 - 14 years left till my retirement I need to choose the option which will accumulate my pension to reasonable levels in relatively short timespan, but let me enjoy my life with Family as well.
18 days OFF a month sounds like a dream come true to be honest, compared to the gig I am coming from.
As for the night flying I have been doing this for the last 10 years in the Middle East and I don't believe any place can get worse than this.
Multiple West Coast trips (16h+) followed by another 14-15h to the Far East two days later. 130-150h in the aircraft a month is a general norm.
Any option listed here sounds absolutely fine in comparison.
Thanks for your feedback once again, very valuable for me trying to get the full picture here.
Dom

None of these jobs have any sort of contracts or training pay. Take the first class. If you don’t like it two months later you can leave.

I spent the past many years flying frieght doing both the domestic night hub turns and long haul which would represent UPS flying pretty closely. I’m narrow body at UAL now and while the days can be long and tiring….I am nowhere near the constant fatigue level that I never really realized that I was constantly dealing with before. I’ll be hopping over to the third seat in a wide body when the seniority makes sense as our wide body flying is pretty easy to manage compared to some of the extended intl trips the cargo folks do. Both are really good jobs. And I suppose with 15 years left you’d have to look pretty closely at the UPS retirement….it’s a really good deal. Personally, I’m glad I left cargo and came over….that stuff is pretty tough sometimes.

That's the point exactly, given limited time left that would be the key differentiator.
Thank you
Dom

We’re all on limited time, and I don’t mean our careers. Long exposure to back side of the clock can take years off of your life. Think about the time you have after you retire as well.

How long does it take to hold WB fo position out of IAH. Thanks