You just can’t go wrong IMO especially if you try to avoid a commute at least over the long run. At that age you don’t need to hustle too hard to have more than most people know what to do with after almost 40 years. Let’s say you save like a boss and the retirement savings number is $17M at one place and $20M at the other. Who cares? Also who can accurately predict this industry’s arc in 4 decades? SWA I think it’s fair to say won’t be a 737-only operation in 2045+. How they navigate that might be both opportunity and challenge. I get bored with things eventually, I love certain layover destinations more than others and value that time, and love where I live which happens to have a big UAL presence. I’m definitely leaving money on the table but would do the same at the other carrier. You’re good either way. Just find what checks the most boxes for you and don’t look back and don’t dwell on the what ifs.

Here's what I'd comment on here... We looked at upgrades when I was a new hire, and it said something similar like 16 years or something. We were looking at 0% growth and attrition only. Upgraded in 7 despite the MAX grounding, COVID, etc.

At that age, I'd also go with UAL. You just can't beat the variety that they're offering even if it may come at the expense of not being able to hustle on the same level as SWA. You stand to gain artificial seniority within your fleet at United much quicker even if your master seniority may not gain as much simply due to fleet variety. At SWA, your seniority differs only by base as we're a single type. On the other hand, if you live say in AUS or BNA or PHX, maybe MCO, and you don't want to move at all... then I'd consider SWA and only if you don't have the WB itch. If you want to live in DEN, you definitely want UAL. We're currently displacing people from there. No telling how long until they're back, and it's not because we're drastically cutting back flying - it's driven by planning and RON's.

One caution I'd take about UAL is the number of people hired in the last 5 years. Whereas until recently, they had really quick upgrades, that's not to say that someone hired today may have the same upgrade opportunity. That's something that a UAL pilot should be able to help you with. I'm pretty sure they have the same tools to be able to project career progressions.

upgrade is quicker at UA now, OP’s UAL upgrade will likely be as quick or slower than Southwest upgrade if hired today.

No one can really answer that but you. Want to work very little forever and when you do have an easier time doing it? Probably UAL.

More the work your fingers to the bone type? Probably SWA.

You are the last poster that anyone thinks has knowledge about what is going to happen in the future.

Self-contradictory and written poorly, like most of your posts.

$17 million or $20 million?

6 million today will be worth 19.6 million in 40 years at 3% average inflation.

Honestly yeah, ballpark numbers but that’s not a stretch. Try a compound interest calculator with reasonable numbers and the results are mind blowing over long periods of time. Something I REALLY wish I understood better say 30 years ago lol. For fun try 40 years with an initial sum of $50k, 10% rate of return and $100k added annually (pretty reasonable with company plus personal contribution and it hard to imagine that not going up over the decades)… that’s… $46M. 7% annually comes to $20M and 5% comes to $12M, and 5% is lower than most professionals use. If you’re not investing in Iraqi Dinars or your brother’s cousin’s best friend’s investment of a lifetime just don’t do something dumb and you’ve won the game regardless of which carrier you work for (yeah past performance does not guarantee future results and all that)

Except... Now adjust that rate of return for inflation over the same time period...