sonic340

I’ve heard that commuting to SFO is horrendous, however, I haven’t really talked first hand to anyone who’s currently doing it. I’m considering the 777 for a number of reasons, but I’d be commuting from the Midwest and yes it would be a 2 leg. Maybe I need to have my head examined.
I’d be commuting through Denver Or Minneapolis and live in Fargo, so those are about my best options I think. Looking at the schedules around my seniority it looks like a lot of those trips are late shows and varying end times. I’d be 70-75% versus my current 35% ORD 73. Picking up premium trips in ORD or DEN hasn’t been possible being a commuter, so getting an 18-19 day off line at 70 hours and trying to pick up a trip to get up around 85 hours brings me down to 15-16 off.
Have a daughter starting college next fall and looking to make some more coin but don’t want to throw my whole QOL down the toilet in the process.
Thanks for any insight!

cadetdrivr

As you look at the extra coin (on paper) in hourly earnings, make sure you also budget for extra hotels, strategic purchases of employee discounted tickets, and missed trips.

And that's not even counting the time suck of a two leg commute to the west coast and that awesome two leg commute home after a Pacific crossing.

FWIW, there are also lots of UA commuters to SFO from both DEN and MSP these days, especially after the "MSP 777 satellite base" (aka ORD) has been downsized.

HuskerAv8tor

Utilize or plan for OAK and SJC as much as you can. You can get the BART from OAK to SFO for around $18.00. There is a shuttle from SJC for $15.00. $35-$60 for Uber/Lyft. SFO is tough but my commute stress is way down because of those airports and Southwest Airlines. SFO as we all know has significant delays but the Bay area is never completely shut down because of weather events.

webecheck

One or two midweek hotels can eat up the entire pay raise. 2 leg commute means you're getting home tired as hell too. I wouldn't do it unless you were going to back to back all your trips and utilize a crash pad, and sounds like you won't have the seniority to get pbs to award a back to back solution. Tough call. Nice airplane, but you'd be incurring a lot of risk and work to make it happen. That 2nd HKG cancels and seniority gets worse too.

Itsajob

Consider how you’d feel after something like that. Showing up to a 12+ hour flight after a double commute will be rough if you can’t get good rest in the bunks. It isn’t always smooth and sometimes the bunks get warm and stuffy depending on who is running the thermostat. Also, think about how you’ll feel getting home after a 14 hour flight followed by a potentially very senior 2 leg commute. The money may not be worth it if you take all of your time off to recover. International flying is great, and SFO has some great flying, but I’m shot after a one leg commute. My wife says that I’m in a fog the day after a trip, but going back to domestic flying feels too much like work for me to change. People do it though. There are east coast people commuting to SFO to fly. They must be either crazy or tough as nails.

UAL T38 Phlyer

I just non-revved a few days ago IAH-SFO-IAH. Early in my career, I commuted FL to SFO...2-3 leg; first leg off-line.

As I rode along, I found myself thinking “thank God I don’t have to do this 4 times a month any more...once in six months is bad enough!!” I could not wait to get off the airplane.

California also taxes your per diem that is earned “in state.” I don’t even know how that is legal.

All the reasons previous are valid. While your gross pay may go up, expenses will too, and it will cost a lot of time and frustration.

I found I could make the same net pay as any contemplated upgrade in seat in SFO, by just staying put where I am, and picking up a trip every now and then.

sonic340

Great points everyone and I really appreciate the thoughts! A lot of times things look good on paper until you actually have to do it. Kinda like finishing a 4 day trip with a red eye! Yeah I’m done at 5 am on the last day but the rest of the day I’m shot and need a nap.
I’m thinking I will wait on this and keep trying to pad the paycheck on the guppy for awhile. Itching to try some international but this probably isn’t the right move for me. Again I really appreciate the advice.

gon2fly

I have been commuting from OMA to SFO for four years now. United introduced a non-stop right after I bid it, and that has made all the difference in the world for me. The two-leg commutes through DEN (and once on Alaska through SEA, and once on SWA through PHX) are quite miserable.
The problem with DEN-SFO is the ATC delays for SFO begin around 6a SFO time. My non-stop OMA flight was always airborne before the delays were enacted, but.....if I go through DEN, I found that the 8a, 9a, 10a flights would all be impacted by delays in SFO. Senior bubbas listed on the 10a, 11a flights would start showing up for the delayed 8a. Accordingly, I would go from #1 on the list, down to...well, not getting on the flight. So....I will not go through DEN on my way to work, and just accept going in a day early if need be to protect my trip.
I have family in the Bay Area and a car out there, so going in a day early....or getting stuck for the night....is not a disaster for me. I DO bid max number of work blocks = 2 and that helps with the QOL. The going back and forth part is the only part I don't like as it essentially takes >6 hours. Two commutes/month is manageable.
My advice? Don't do it. As others mentioned, coming off of a 12-15 hour flight and then two-legging it home....sucks. 777 is a sweet machine, and I enjoyed my time on it in SFO. But as long as you have FAR in your address, you will have some limits on what makes sense.