Bird in the hand? (another UA/DAL thread)
 

Hey everyone! I'm in a pretty good spot right now and was looking for a little bit of help...

I'm 23 and just past 1500TT (~750 turbine ~220TPIC in a PC12) and am an FO for Frontier. I live in Denver and intend to stay in the Denver metro area long term. Could maybe do NorCal/Eastern Cal in the mtns but otherwise I'm pretty firmly planted here. I went to OBAP last August and am planning on LPA next week and RTAG next month. There's no doubt in my mind UA is the best place for me long term. As far as I'm aware United is the best place to head right now to catch what's left of the retirement wave, and with my roots in Denver having the TC here will be nice when it comes time for recurrent + if I ever decide to become a sim instructor. That all said, due to my OBAP attendance I have an interview date with Delta in the coming weeks. Assuming I don't fumble it... WWYD?

I'm finally living in a domicile where I'm happy, no longer abused by a 135 and I'm getting paid well + driving to work for F9. At DAL I'll be a permanent commuter, I'll gain (less than UA/AA) seniority for about 5-10 years before largely stagnating until I'm at least 50, and I'll likely never see WBFO or even NBCA (without commuting to NYC) until I'm in my 40s at the earliest. I recognize there are plenty of people who are age 35+ before they get the call and are permanent commuters and have happy, long careers with Delta, but if United is ultimately my goal could taking the (potential) Delta offer and starting class with them hurt my chances of hopping over to UA? While I'm glad Delta is okay with my lower logbook times, if UA isn't I worry that I could potentially shoot myself in the foot going to new hire class in ATL and not building flight time for 2-3mo that would otherwise qualify me for a United interview. On the other hand, who turns down a (potential) job offer with a legacy carrier? I could always turn it down, not get my UA interview and get "stuck" at F9. Not the end of the world, but I'd much rather commute to SLC for DAL than fly DEN-TPA redeyes at F9 the rest of my career.

Thoughts?
Questions?
Insults?

Thanks, y'all :)

Take the first class offer you get. You can always switch carriers later. It may even help you get to UA sooner. Happens all the time.

If you are offered at job at DAL - take it. I don't think this would hurt you when your UAL comes around - they would love to hire away a DAL Pilot. If you get the offer at UAL - take it. You seem to like this area and will be driving to work - no brainer.

As far as stagnating anywhere - dude your 23!- You will end up King of the Hill for a long time no matter where you end up! Any "stagnation" will be but a speed bump in what will most likely be stellar career.

Scoop

23 and already worried about that stuff. Wow.

Just following the lead of the chicken little, hyperbolic, uber negative, handwringing, naysayers that permeate the pilot forums these days.

Thanks to all above! I'll end my career as king of the hill but I'm also trying to keep in mind what the next 10-20 years will (should lol) look like THROUGHOUT the career. The seniority number the last day of retirement doesn't mean squat to me if I didn't enjoy the 40+ years before it :) It's 10,000% not an end all be all but it's always nice to know that I'm getting on somewhere where my seniority will rise quick and QOL will improve rapidly vs middling improvements with 20+ years of kinda sorta getting days off I want before "holy cow I'm 50 and this is it! I've made it!" Definitely not following the lead of anybody on the forum, but I fly with enough DEN F9 golden handcuff captains who after 15-20 years of seniority still have meh schedules that aren't quite bad enough to make them leave but definitely grind them down day to day. Just want to hopefully avoid that.

I'll take the DAL offer should it come. Glad to hear if anything it could help push UA along a little bit... Thanks again!

Killer 🤙 Glad to hear!

You’re going about this wrong. The way to be happy in 10 years is build a life that can be funded on a narrow body FO salary.

That is the way to have seniority in the middle of your career.

Thats my goal lol. I just like more options sooner rather than later :)

You’re overthinking it. If you are offered a job at Delta you take it.

There’s no 3D chess to staying at Frontier.