SWA vs UAL
 

I’m lucky enough to have a CJO with both companies with classes starting next month. I’m having trouble deciding between the 2.

I live in Pensacola and for the next few years minimum I will be commuting from there family reasons. Tracking my best options would be PNS->IAH for United and PNS->BNA for Southwest.

I’m also in the mil reserves so I plan on staying in Pensacola until I’ve had enough with that. After we plan to move to MCO.

Im looking for some insight on which of these companies will provide the best career for the next 25 years (obviously no one has a crystal ball) assuming a start next month.

United was my #1 but now seeing how many people have been hired prior to me and not a huge presence at MCO has me rethinking.

Thanks in advance - and I know this is a great situation to be in!

I don’t know about SWA, but my semi-educated guess for MCO at UA is 3-5 years to be the plug FO. From what I gather, SWA is more promising from that perspective.

This thread might be helpful
https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/u...vs-sw-mco.html

Look at financials
look at what kind of flying you want to do
think about hats and flamboyant blue uniforms
think about flying the 737 your entire career
You’ll fly with 99.9% +/- 10.9% good people at both airlines

you really can’t go wrong

Yes it will take longer to get to MCO at UAL but if you’re commuting anyway for the first few years, that’s going to be a wash. Frankly I wouldn’t be worried about how many have been hired in front of you at United vs Southwest either. It might mean that you won’t be a widebody Captain at United. As you know you won’t be a widebody pilot of any kind at Southwest (most likely). Even if that’s not something that interests you right now it’s an option at UA and it helps out with getting more senior more quickly on the bus or the 737 as those ahead of you might want to go to the widebody and get out of your way.

Everyone who was hired before you was hired before you.

For right now, the opportunities in Orlando are much better for Southwest. I think you can make a reasonable argument over 25 years that United is likely to grow a presence in South Florida. But who knows.

As a company, prospects are solidly better with United. They have 5000 retirements over the next 10 years and a lot of airplanes on order. You’re not signing up to be the plug forever.

If you are dead set 100% on Orlando AND never commuting AND are very risk averse, go to Southwest. If there is wiggle room with any of those, I would say United.

so, about the commute part…Pensacola is a 6:30 hour drive to Orlando/Tampa (without stopping). To IAH, it’s about 7:30 without stopping.

I’d say neither of those are very driveable on a regular basis.

Pensacola has basically no flights to Orlando (save an occasional NK or F9). To IAH is 4-ish flights a day, all United or UA regional. BNA is 2 flights.

the commute is going to suck no matter what, but I’d say just buy tickets to IAH (since it’s full a lot and the RJs are weight limited for commuters).

just adding another data point.

The real answer is start at SWA or UAL, then try to go to delta where you have 8 flights a day or drive 4:30.

We have a new thread for this once a week. Just go search the old ones.

He said he’d be moving to Orlando, so a commute there doesn’t matter from PNS. Going to Delta wouldn’t help if you live in MCO.