Being rolled into days off is the single thing that is better at Frontier than United. It doesnt happen often, and when it does, you're compensated very well. As far as schedule flexiblity, I've been able to drop to zero or very near zero and pick up premium or hand pick my trips several months out of my first year as a junior lineholding FO at United. Frontier did not allow that in their scheduling.

Now, I'm in upgrade training, holding my aircraft of choice in Denver, where I and many Frontier pilots live. Denver Captain at Frontier is 10 years, unless they keep shrinking, and then another 15 to hold a line. If you live in a United domicile, I think it's a no brainer.

As other have said, the treament from management is night and day. When you call Ops, somebody answers. No waiting for 60-90 minutes for a gate. It's good for our customers and good for our employees. The United training is department is ridiculously low stress and pro-pilot.

Widebody FO second year pay is essentially Frontier Captain pay. Move over to the left seat of any aircraft at United, and the pay just goes up from there.

For us, my family and I couldnt be happier with the move to United.

accurate. I was an 8+ captain at F9 and I left last year. Knowing what I know now, wish I would’ve left sooner. If you’re considering (obviously you are bc you posted on apc), just submit your app and interview. Make the choice if you get the offer. If you leave, you won’t regret it. I don’t regret it for a second. My stress level here is basically 0, whereas at F9 I was always worrying about pax issues, gate issues, cargo loading issues, dispatch issues (yes i had dispatch try to send me into really sketchy situations at F9), etc. At united, you show up, flight is on time lost of the time, everything is planned correctly and handled for you, you get a decent meal in your flight, don’t have to call and beg for transportation at the layover because they’re waiting for you, and at the end of the day management at least acts like they don’t hate your guts.

I feel inclined to post as I was at spirit for a few years and came over to UAL so I know what it's like. I left nk before the JB announcement which is obviously different than the current situation today. I would have been far more senior at UAL when I retire than at NK. Their retirement numbers at NK are based solely on growth when UAL has guaranteed retirements at play. This is still a factor now for both NK and F9.

The operation from a ULCC compared to UAL is so different it made such a difference. In years I can count on one hand the times I've had to wait for a gate, when at spirit it was almost a daily occurrence. I think that is similar to F9. Pilots here don't have to check in. The ability to deviate off deadheads is far easier. The crew meals make a serious difference in fatigue in flying longer flights and save me a ton of money. The flying overall is better. I hated leaving places like CUN, SJD, PVR, LIR or PUJ at NK when at UAL I'll stay there at a 5 star resort, sometimes all inclusive. As I got more senior I would hold 20 hour 3 day NB trips which did not exist at NK. I've since left to the WB where I've been fortunate enough to experience the 9 day 81 hour month which would have taken some luck at NK with the x list. Training is a breeze and is very pro pilot yet very thorough and professional. There isn't the fear of a jeopardy event like there was at spirit. I make more per hour so I don't feel like I need to pick up as much as I did when I was at 114-122/hour at NK.

Everyone talks about the chillness of the NK crews but honestly the pilots at UAL are just as laidback if not more so. The pilots along with the gate agents want to create a good experience to the passengers which was very lacking from the contract ulcc agents I dealt with. If you are at a ULCC you know how bad they can be. MX is great at UAL. It's a streamlined process that utilizes both the iPad and the airplane printer. The rampers, outside of EWR on occasion, seem to care about on time performance and will hustle when asked. It just makes for a much smoother operation. The IT side of things blows NK out of the water. I know it's the same for F9 as I have family members over there. People respond to emails and are there to help you when you need it. Our travel benefits are better too.

Despite my company seniority being like 65% company wide, my relative seniority on the 737 or 320 was in the teens or low 20s as a FO. This is often overlooked and is a benefit of having a multiple fleet airline. I do not have the flexibility that I did at NK to drop and I know it's the same at F9, however I usually get the days off I need due to the efficiency of the trips we fly over here. Sometimes I have to sacrifice a weekend and I'll be gone a weekend when I want to be home yet that gone weekend to me is worth the extra 50k+ a year in income. Adding in profit sharing, more 401k, higher rates, better LTD, more soft time, and better vacation pay/totals in addition to everything else I described make it a no brainer.

Best of luck to you and your decision! I hope to see you over here one day.

Edit: sorrry for the poor grammar. Had a couple of beers with some UAL pilot friends outside of work and falling asleep reading these forums.

We really are on the same page. I just wanted to be fair and point out a few of the ways where scheduling was better at F9.

How did you drop down to 0 as a junior LH, since one needs some seniority to have desirable trips that others want, and the grid is almost never green? I still did well and was able to drop down to 8 days in Oct and Dec at 65% BES NBFO, but to get to zero seems very hard unless fairly senior.

My wife is at F9 and I'm UA. We compare all the time. We both don't like the lack of trading flexibility. If she drops below 70 or 60 (depending on the month) it's been very hard to find anything to pick up the last year to get back to that time...faces getting in trouble. We don't see QOL rules better than UA in our opinion.

In the last month or so I have flown with 2 former Frontier captains and one Spirit FO. It makes sense for the hiring department to target these guys, especially considering the doom and gloom following the decision regarding the Jet Blue/Spirit merger. We need new hires who are qualified to either bid or be forced into the left seat. Targeting their captains and more experienced FO's would accomplish that as well as slow hiring from our regionals to protect the regional feed. For what it's worth, both Frontier pilots and the one Spirit pilot had no doubt that they made the right decision coming here. One said that so far his worst day at United was better than his best day at Frontier. Just better support and far less drama to deal with on a daily basis.

If F9 Union would reclaim back the part in the last contract or LOA , which allow Reserves to pick up open times like a line holder . When a trip drop in open times pot it's first come first " get" ! So why have Seniority ! Reserved " suck" even at the legacies airlines! That the main reason why no open time to pick up if you drop below 70 or 60! It's wasn't like that prior to PBS . F9 had 2 rounds of open time .. regularly and Mini open times, this process was base serniortiy ! If nothing els, I'm okay with reserves picking up open times as long as the trips has in been in open time folder for 24hr. This would allowline holders time to see it and may want to trade for a commutable trip etc...

My understanding from F9 Union is that this " Rule" is not part of this negotiation....

I’m not the OP, but I really appreciate your response! Excited to be joining the team soon!

I see 737 captain can be held right away, but how far out is 320 captain or wb fo? ewr/dc thx I appreciate it. (NK CA)

320 within a year some seats are unfilled. WB FO is trending a lot more senior 2+ years

DC is senior to EWR especially on the bus