52Flyer

Our family is settling down in Phoenix for the next 20 years at a minimum and I just put my apps into AA and UA.

Assuming all things were equal (CJOs, class dates, etc.) would anyone recommend commuting to UA over living in domicile at AA?

Domicile vs commuter is usually a no-brainer but the trajectory at AA is concerning. Especially given their debt load and current management. I'm guessing PHX to LA/SFO/DEN would be relatively easy though not ideal. Anything else I'm missing? Do the pro's of UA outweigh the cons of commuting in this case?


Seniority: Tie? (based on projected UA growth?)
Company trajectory: UA wins
Widebodies: UA wins (higher UA % and would have to commute for either company)
Kirby's goal to crush AA: UA Wins

Reserve / Domicile life: Big win for AA
(I'm ignoring SWA for the sake of this discussion. I don't want to do 5 trips a day)

Hedley

No company is the gold standard of airline flying. It’s a great job, but each company is only as good as their current management and contract. You question would have gotten vastly different answers if you asked when Tilton or Smisek were still in charge. Over a 20+ year career, I’d say picking between American, Delta, and United will be a wash. The money is good at all three, but not having to commute would be huge. I’d rather make legacy money to fly a 320 in base than commute to a 777 gig. Throw your hooks into the water and be grateful if you can reel any of them in. Odds are you won’t get the opportunity to decide between multiple offers, you’ll just have to land the one that bites.

ThumbsUp

If you don’t already know what the future holds in terms of equipment, permanency, etc. for the PHX domicile at AA, you may want to ask on their forum.

TransWorld

If you get a bite at Delta or United, you can keep an app active at AA. If they want to hire you in a year or two, it is really not much different than if you had stayed with a regional as a captain waiting for an AA offer. And if you get far enough down the runway, you may decide not to keep applying with AA.

You can cross that bridge when you get to it. Meanwhile, apply to all.

Excargodog

Two months ago I might have answered this differently but the delta variant is threatening to send the COVID pandemic game into extra innings with no realistic chances of an extension of the PSP. In the meantime, inflation is surging which will drive business down and debt service up, and curtailing domestic production is driving oil (and hence Jet-A) prices up.

I’d chose whichever major you got the CJO from that had the least debt, the highest credit rating, and the most fuel efficient fleet. One long furlough or bankruptcy driven concessionary contract can put your career in a holding pattern that will cost you for a decade.

TransWorld

Glad you are so optimistic. Believe me when I say things will change.

at6d

Five trips a day? Not the norm. Three on four off is though…..

Why not apply to SWA? Increase your options.

rightside02

Man living in base versus commuting is a game changer.

plus AA’s massive regiments compared to any other airline.

I’m a UA guy and I would lean toward AA for the commute .

JetDoc

A thousand times this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I commuted for almost a decade but now live in base and it is a totally different job. Knowing that my "commute" is waiting for me in the driveway at the start of a trip and in the employee lot no matter what time a trip ends has probably added years to my life.

Gooselives

but its AA tho