Puddytatt

Thought about that after I posted. Although past performance is not indicative of future results. Or something.

Scoop

Really too many variables for anyone to help you out much. What DAL base you would move to could make a huge difference. It wouldnt be hard to get the 320/321 within a year or two but you may not get it right out of the gate. It would probably be hard to drop 4-5 day trips at DAL when you are junior becasue they would be over the weekends. When you can hold good mid week trips it is pretty easy to clear your schedule through drops, trades or just giving it away.

One thing to consider is that Delta hired over half it pilots in the last 9 years so depending on growth and how you time the once every 10 years mandatory airline industry disaster, you may only finish up around 40% give or take on the seniority list.

Continue your research, take the interview, and then hopefully you will have a decision to make.

Scoop

FangsF15

Good words from Scoop. I would key in on this ^^^.

In addition, We hired 3000 pilots in the last 18 months. Your seniority will be much slower and lower if you come to DL. I don’t know AA’s contract/work rules to offer advice, but in general terms, I would expect your seniority to offer more flexibility quicker at AA than if you make the switch, especially with AA’s supposed impending retirements over the next 10 years. Do what’s right for you, but I would be very hesitant to move over unless you felt it was affirmatively better for you and your family. Good luck.

badflaps

Hmmm..On with a major, new equipment, drive to work. Remember the dog with the bone looking at his own reflection in the water?

1Taco

12 A220-300 options exercised. The article is on deltanet.

hockeypilot44

Upgrade time at Delta is short (2 years or less). Holding a decent schedule as a captain in Atlanta will take a decade or more, then the movement will stop until you retire. Only way I would make that jump is if you’re eyeing New York.

hvydvr

You live in base on a plane you like with a thousand people behind you in 6 months with far more retirement movement to come at AA than at Delta. Schedule flexibility or a lack thereof is normal when you're junior. You will move up faster there most likely. This has the potential to be a really, really bad decision when looked back on in 20 years. Choose wisely.

captkdobbs

Timing is everything in this business. I was incredibly fortunate to get on property at 47 at the beginning of a hiring. My experience would have been VERY different if I had been hired today at 47. We have half of our seniority list hired since the 2014 wave started. Be very cautious evaluating your future based on movement today. 2-year upgrades may stop tomorrow. If the economy even hiccups, hiring may slow and then the whole career outlook looks different between AA and DL.

ALPA has a dashboard that can show where, if EVERYONE senior to you stayed to 65, you would retire on the list. Even with the massive hiring, many pilots senior to me are younger than me. The result is that, unless there are a lot of 'early outs', I won't even break 2500 in my career. For me, that isn't too bad considering all the hiccups this industry has endured since I joined 'the path'.

See if APA has a dashboard to predict where you'll end up and realize that jumping to another list may not improve your 'total career'.

GogglesPisano

SVAC's available via the backdoor.

(Vaca Bids --> Move ups.)

jungleman4422

So here is kinda an add-on to the question about leaving AA get a temp from the masses. I work for SWA and been with them since May of 22 live in base. Got an invite to DAL and am seriously considering it, would need to commute to LAX (if awarded) which is less than an hour flight. I've got 33 years ahead of me with the current age of retirement at 65. Not sure if I'm chasing waterfalls (thanks TLC) I dont want to fly a 737 for the rest of my life, but yes living in base is a HUGE plus.

Thanks!