WN or UA in Denver
01-31-2026 | 07:12 PM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3,195
Likes: 42
From: Gear slinger
I know this has been asked before but I couldn’t find a specific one for Denver. If I was MCO Based like the other thread I think it would be much different.
I start training with WN soon. Currently at OO.
UA had been my #1 choice for a while but after being served some pretty good coolaid during my interview I’ve started to reconsider how much effort I keep putting into United.
live just south of DEN and don’t necessarily have training center dreams. Obviously UA dominates in Denver. However, because of OO I’ve been unable to secure a CJO
Heading to NGPA next week but I’m tired of spending hundreds to wait in line to for a 5 minute chat where they tell me to just keep flying. Meanwhile spirit FOs with 0 121 PIC time are getting scooped up. It’s left a real sour taste in my mouth unfortunately.
With all that said it could very well take years to return to DEN at WN due to the displacements. At what point do I give on UA? Just over 30 years left if that helps.
Widebody would be cool but I don’t necessarily want that life style. I’m not a fan of constant circadian disruption and I really like the AM/PM consistency the WN offers.
My goals are:
Stay in Denver and not commute and
max time off
I start training with WN soon. Currently at OO.
UA had been my #1 choice for a while but after being served some pretty good coolaid during my interview I’ve started to reconsider how much effort I keep putting into United.
live just south of DEN and don’t necessarily have training center dreams. Obviously UA dominates in Denver. However, because of OO I’ve been unable to secure a CJO
Heading to NGPA next week but I’m tired of spending hundreds to wait in line to for a 5 minute chat where they tell me to just keep flying. Meanwhile spirit FOs with 0 121 PIC time are getting scooped up. It’s left a real sour taste in my mouth unfortunately.
With all that said it could very well take years to return to DEN at WN due to the displacements. At what point do I give on UA? Just over 30 years left if that helps.
Widebody would be cool but I don’t necessarily want that life style. I’m not a fan of constant circadian disruption and I really like the AM/PM consistency the WN offers.
My goals are:
Stay in Denver and not commute and
max time off
If you’re not in the program, most likely United won’t take you from Skywest without you joining Aviate,
If you are already in the program you have to weigh the time it will take to get from where you are now from 1600PIC at Skywest after acceptance into their program with United +4 months. Vs 12 months of being ineligible to apply to United + 2-4 months vs time until SWA class then time to get to DEN at SWA,
If United is your goal and you haven’t racked up three training failures overall, or two in 121, it may be quicker staying at OO vs going to SWA. However, it’s not usually recommended to stay at a regional over going to a major.
02-01-2026 | 05:20 AM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,192
Likes: 163
Are you in Aviate or whatever it’s called for Skywest? If so, how far are you from your 1600PIC at Skywest?
If you’re not in the program, most likely United won’t take you from Skywest without you joining Aviate,
If you are already in the program you have to weigh the time it will take to get from where you are now from 1600PIC at Skywest after acceptance into their program with United +4 months. Vs 12 months of being ineligible to apply to United + 2-4 months vs time until SWA class then time to get to DEN at SWA,
If United is your goal and you haven’t racked up three training failures overall, or two in 121, it may be quicker staying at OO vs going to SWA. However, it’s not usually recommended to stay at a regional over going to a major.
If you’re not in the program, most likely United won’t take you from Skywest without you joining Aviate,
If you are already in the program you have to weigh the time it will take to get from where you are now from 1600PIC at Skywest after acceptance into their program with United +4 months. Vs 12 months of being ineligible to apply to United + 2-4 months vs time until SWA class then time to get to DEN at SWA,
If United is your goal and you haven’t racked up three training failures overall, or two in 121, it may be quicker staying at OO vs going to SWA. However, it’s not usually recommended to stay at a regional over going to a major.
Biggest hindrance is that you’re at an Aviate carrier. United won’t (in almost all cases) hire you outside of Aviate. It would undermine the program as a whole. You either join it or go to SWA. If you jump to SWA, you’ll be blacklisted for a year and won’t see TPIC for nearly a decade.
Like Otterbox said, staying at a regional vs. going to a major isn’t advisable, but times are different. Good luck.
02-01-2026 | 07:35 AM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,923
Likes: 95
Ok…. I think you wasted time creating this thread.
Go to Southwest since you are at peace with that decision. move to base because you will get tired of commuting, and carry on. Life throws lemons, make some lemonade.
If you change your mind, toss your app in.
Go to Southwest since you are at peace with that decision. move to base because you will get tired of commuting, and carry on. Life throws lemons, make some lemonade.
If you change your mind, toss your app in.
02-01-2026 | 11:38 AM
#24
On Reserve
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 44
Likes: 36
From: B737 FO
I know this has been asked before but I couldn’t find a specific one for Denver. If I was MCO Based like the other thread I think it would be much different.
I start training with WN soon. Currently at OO.
UA had been my #1 choice for a while but after being served some pretty good coolaid during my interview I’ve started to reconsider how much effort I keep putting into United.
live just south of DEN and don’t necessarily have training center dreams. Obviously UA dominates in Denver. However, because of OO I’ve been unable to secure a CJO
Heading to NGPA next week but I’m tired of spending hundreds to wait in line to for a 5 minute chat where they tell me to just keep flying. Meanwhile spirit FOs with 0 121 PIC time are getting scooped up. It’s left a real sour taste in my mouth unfortunately.
With all that said it could very well take years to return to DEN at WN due to the displacements. At what point do I give on UA? Just over 30 years left if that helps.
Widebody would be cool but I don’t necessarily want that life style. I’m not a fan of constant circadian disruption and I really like the AM/PM consistency the WN offers.
My goals are:
Stay in Denver and not commute and
max time off
I start training with WN soon. Currently at OO.
UA had been my #1 choice for a while but after being served some pretty good coolaid during my interview I’ve started to reconsider how much effort I keep putting into United.
live just south of DEN and don’t necessarily have training center dreams. Obviously UA dominates in Denver. However, because of OO I’ve been unable to secure a CJO
Heading to NGPA next week but I’m tired of spending hundreds to wait in line to for a 5 minute chat where they tell me to just keep flying. Meanwhile spirit FOs with 0 121 PIC time are getting scooped up. It’s left a real sour taste in my mouth unfortunately.
With all that said it could very well take years to return to DEN at WN due to the displacements. At what point do I give on UA? Just over 30 years left if that helps.
Widebody would be cool but I don’t necessarily want that life style. I’m not a fan of constant circadian disruption and I really like the AM/PM consistency the WN offers.
My goals are:
Stay in Denver and not commute and
max time off
02-01-2026 | 04:00 PM
#25
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,233
Likes: 66
I’m going to just take a minute right there to tell you to stay in your lane. Spirit pilots are getting a leg up because 21-R of our UPA has provisions for helping ALPA carriers in distress. You see, we are a unionized group and we take care of our own before we help others. We will soon be offering the same protection to the 35 Amerijet pilots who are about to be furloughed. So yeah. spirit pilots are getting ahead of you because you already have a job, many of them are furloughed or are in a period of career uncertainty which means they might not have one for long.
All for 30-60 seconds with a recruiter, asking you about what volunteer work you do on 11-12-13 days off a month that you commute to.....
02-01-2026 | 05:29 PM
#26
off weekends (if Reserve)
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 97
What a Time that was to be alive back then…..
02-01-2026 | 08:25 PM
#27
Line Holder
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 342
Likes: 18
From: B777 CA
02-01-2026 | 10:08 PM
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,233
Likes: 66
Tell me about a time when you paid for a baby sitter on one of those few days off (when you were making last decades regional pay), so you could work for free at The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in order to log 10 hours…….and have something new to tell that ULCC/LCC recruiter at the next event where you spend $750 at wait in line.
What a Time that was to be alive back then…..
What a Time that was to be alive back then…..
That pretty much sums it up.
Followed by;
Tell me how quickly you’ll stop doing that, knowing you did it just for resume/background material but once you get hired here you’re fake altruistic actions won’t matter anymore…
02-01-2026 | 10:43 PM
#29
Line Holder
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 588
Likes: 105
From: 73FO
If it’s going to be years to get to DEN via WN then why wouldn’t you spend an hour or two and put your app in at UAL and see what happens? Maybe you get CJO and you get DEN within months. Maybe you don’t, and you wait a few years for WN displacements to come back and then more vacancies to open.
02-02-2026 | 04:33 AM
#30
Line Holder
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 406
Likes: 5
From: A320 FO
this isn’t that hard. First you got to Southwest no matter what. If things slow down tomorrow you are a destination carrier. Second. Go to the next conference. Let the United recruiter know you really want to be at UAL but have an opportunity to go to SWA and have a class date of XX/XX. I am willing to bet that you get an offer to start the interview process within 2 weeks of leaving OO. Just update your app with your new employer. After that settle into SWA. Forgot about United except to update your app every 30-90 days. United might never call. United might not call for years. Make your choice then. Also depending on your age, marriage status’ kids…..of these things change the desire to leave or stay at SWA.
If you aren’t married, don’t have kids yet, in your mid 20s, etc the reality is you have no idea where you will live. I live in Texas. I went to JetBlue back in ‘07 and lived in the Northeast. I never planned to live in Texas. Yet here I am at United living in Texas based in Houston.
If you aren’t married, don’t have kids yet, in your mid 20s, etc the reality is you have no idea where you will live. I live in Texas. I went to JetBlue back in ‘07 and lived in the Northeast. I never planned to live in Texas. Yet here I am at United living in Texas based in Houston.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
