Bahamasflyer

Not if you live closer to DIA. Half that will get you something decent further east.

Not everyone wants to live in an urban area, especially with all the strife that the cities have gone through since 2020. I certainly don't

TFAYD

Great? They are tolerable when living in base but I wouldn’t call them great.

Tropical

The question is how much you trust Scott Kirby to deliver on his promises of United Next, and not to run the place into the ground. The last two weeks don't look promising. It's still a poorly run company.

Plus, you said yourself you'll have to commute at United until you can hold DEN (which I understand is a fairly senior base there). You didn't say where you're commuting to at DAL, but there's a big difference between commuting from DEN to NYC or ATL and commuting to SLC or SEA. Or move closer to a base. You'll probably make more over your career and have more stability at Delta.

None of us can tell you what to do, but I'd say starting over now at what may be the end of the hiring boom may not be a wise idea. You surely have 1000 or more people behind you at Delta by now if you're flying the line.

DownSideUp

“The question is how much you trust Scott Kirby to deliver on his promises of United Next, and not to run the place into the ground. The last two weeks don't look promising. It's still a poorly run company.”

This^^^^^

Stay at Delta. United will always trail them operationally and financially.

Avoid the ‘grass is greener’ temptation.

Otterbox

Unlimited short call and field standby conversions are great? Rolled days off are great? False.

Would not recommend anyone going to United with the expectation of great quality of life living in base on reserve.

If you define 86hr lines with no consistent ability to trip trade/drop trips great, and unlimited reserve conversions and random reserve call outs at scheduling discretion when they have other people available to cover the flights then sure United is the place to be.

glassnpowder98

Senior to hold 787 CA. But it will just take one, maybe two vacancy bids to get NB FO and we’ve been having monthly bids lately. There’s also unfilled NB CA vacancies if you want to go that route once off probation. It’s been said many times before in other threads, but not really in this one- Having the training center in Denver opens up tons of opportunities if you want to be home every night as well as the hundreds of local instructors that will buy you off trips. Giving you more time at home or allowing you to double dip.

Our reserve rules do suck, but living in base helps. You’ll get a lot of opinions on here but it’s up to you if giving up some seniority and probable career earnings is worth never having to commute again.

GoCats67

Otterbox I know you hate our reserve rules and if you are a commuter our rules are definitely worse than the competition. Lord know we need improvements in the work rules for reserves, I doubt anyone would argue that. That being said, being a local dramatically changes the suffering. Getting converted to SC when you live an hour from the airport just means you have to take your cell phone with you when you leave the house. I do that anyway. It also means you will have to cut back on your day drinking, but again I have been trying to do that as well. It doesn't cost you a hotel and will hopefully even pay you a little more in the theoretical new contract.

As a local, picking up a SC to avoid a trip you don't want can be a very effective tactic to maximize your nights in your own bed. When you get a line and assuming we get a contract some day, you also have the advantage of picking up premium that comes available on shorter notice. Commuters are often unable to do this as the premium trip is leaving too soon to commute in for the trip.

I have done literally years on reserve as a local and while I mostly bid lines, I will bid reserve to get the schedule I want ( IE bidding HDOs over Christmas when I am not senior enough to hold a line with it off) So, If given a choice between commuting to one of AA/DL/UA or living in base for one of the carriers, there is no amount of anything else that matters, you go with the one that has a base where you live. You will make more money and spend more nights in your own bed by enormous amounts when you live local.

If you are a new hire at DL but are going to live in DEN then you switch to UA - period! If you are a new hire at UA but are going to live in ATL then you switch to DL - period. These times allow this "switching" to happen very quickly so there is not usually much loss of seniority. This is not a statement on an overall comparison of the two companies, it is just common sense.

MasterOfPuppets

you should take a look at some other seats but yours…..My QOL has never been better. I don’t give a rats about SC and FSB is an easy 4 hours.

iv been with my kids more this summer than I ever have at any airline. Living in base within an hour of the airport is key.

Swakid8

This right here, every day all day…

Flyweight

I have lived in base with a 30min drive. I have transcon commuted. It is only part of the decision.

I went to the place I felt I would have the best career and long term security. Den has TK at UA, huge good deal if you want to do that. Outside of that consideration, I am happier be a DL commuter from another airlines pilot base.

Commuting is the devil to some. Not to all. I like options.