SWA Pay.............

[Airdale]

Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters.

I was researching SWA pay scales on airlinepilotcentral.com and my question is this; Do these numbers really reflect 1st($53) 2nd ($88) year pay? What's the actual take home pay for you guys?
And is 401K the only retirement package SWA offers?
Thanks

 

[ivauir]

1 $153.02 $45.90
2 $154.88 $77.45
3 $156.77 $86.22
4 $158.63 $95.18
5 $160.39 $104.26
6 $162.39 $107.19
7 $164.26 $108.41
8 $166.13 $109.64
9 $168.01 $110.89
10 $169.87 $112.12
11 $171.76 $113.37
12 $173.63 $114.59

This is Pay for "trip" which is about 55 minutes.
The average line pays about 97 TFP (trips for pay). Reserve guarantee is 90 TFP (but you'll probably be over 100) and 110 is a very reasonable number with good QOL.

401 K with 7.3% company match is our retirement. We also have profit sharing, which can be substantial, but I think it is best to ignore it in retirement planning - this is the money for the boat

 

[IH8MESA]

1 $153.02 $45.90
2 $154.88 $77.45
3 $156.77 $86.22
4 $158.63 $95.18
5 $160.39 $104.26
6 $162.39 $107.19
7 $164.26 $108.41
8 $166.13 $109.64
9 $168.01 $110.89
10 $169.87 $112.12
11 $171.76 $113.37
12 $173.63 $114.59

This is Pay for "trip" which is about 55 minutes.
The average line pays about 97 TFP (trips for pay). Reserve guarantee is 90 TFP (but you'll probably be over 100) and 110 is a very reasonable number with good QOL.

401 K with 7.3% company match is our retirement. We also have profit sharing, which can be substantial, but I think it is best to ignore it in retirement planning - this is the money for the boat

Si hoc non legere potes tu asinus es

 

[Alcatraz]

Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters.

I was researching SWA pay scales on airlinepilotcentral.com and my question is this; Do these numbers really reflect 1st($53) 2nd ($88) year pay? What's the actual take home pay for you guys?
And is 401K the only retirement package SWA offers?
Thanks

The numbers on www.airlinepilotcentral.com are converted to an hourly amount for an apples-to-apples comparison with other airlines' pay. SWA pilots are generally not paid by the block hour, so those numbers are sorta an approximation. But, to answer your first question, yes, they are pretty close to a representation of our pay if we were paid by the block hour.

Actual take home pay depends on how much you work, like most other airline pilot jobs.

Like ivuair said, the 401k is basically our only retirement. Profitsharing and stock options have been a huge part of past SWA pilots' retirements, but these may or may not be part of future SWA pilots' retirements (esp options, since many of us are under water... and profitsharing depends entirely on company profitability). "Money for the boat" was a very accurate description.

 

[FatesPawn]

Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters.

I was researching SWA pay scales on airlinepilotcentral.com and my question is this; Do these numbers really reflect 1st($53) 2nd ($88) year pay? What's the actual take home pay for you guys?
And is 401K the only retirement package SWA offers?
Thanks

Regards to pay, my 1st 12 months of employment (probation) I grossed $74k by moderately paying attention to trip trading, giving away trips and picking up better paying trips. If you simply fly your line, you'll make the mid 50's. If you work your tail off, you can do 90. I tried to balance QOL with days at work and came out pretty good. My 2nd year was 95 and I RARELY picked up any extra.

Fate

 

[SWA GUY]

Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters.

I was researching SWA pay scales on airlinepilotcentral.com and my question is this; Do these numbers really reflect 1st($53) 2nd ($88) year pay? What's the actual take home pay for you guys?
And is 401K the only retirement package SWA offers?
Thanks

I think APC is waay below the scale for my pay. In fact when I did the math it worked out to $188.00/hr last year (5th yr FO).

It's not about working hard, but working smart.

 

[Vegas Flyer]

Regards to pay, my 1st 12 months of employment (probation) I grossed $74k by moderately paying attention to trip trading, giving away trips and picking up better paying trips. If you simply fly your line, you'll make the mid 50's. If you work your tail off, you can do 90. I tried to balance QOL with days at work and came out pretty good. My 2nd year was 95 and I RARELY picked up any extra.

Fate

Are you including your per diem in the 74K/95K numbers?... at SWA's per diem rate it adds a noticable amount.

 

[F9 Driver]

Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes

Si hoc non legere potes tu asinus es

Aint Google great!

 

[igneousy2]

Si hoc non legere potes tu asinus es


I'm glad I'm not one of those anymore.

 

[SWA/FO]

Hurry, the sky is falling..... pay wont last, bankruptcy around the corner - huge cash payout (just like DAL) coming soon. Happy happy Joy Joy!!!

 

[Widow's Son]

from memory, "pecunia hablat, bovis sturcus ambulate"

 

[Mach 80]

FYI....I know of an F/O who earned $200,000 in his 2nd year and a Captain who earned $400,000 last year. They worked their tails off and played the system...but they did it.

 

[RedDogC130]

I heard he was a 5th year FO. 2nd year would have to pick up every trip at time and a half and get a min of 144 TFP per month for the year.

 

[CF34-3B1]

I've heard of several Lance's doing well over 200k

I average 112 TFP a month and I don't work nearly as hard as I did at my previous job. I've had several months of 140+ TFP, and my quality of life was still pretty good. (But I don't commute)

 

[Baby Cakes]

In fact when I did the math it worked out to $188.00/hr last year (5th yr FO)

$188/hr.? Not bad for a first officer. Dang...

 

[Babylon]

Hmmm. I'm a bit suspicious on some of those payrates since I fly reserves with about 5 SWA FOs and look at their schedule all the time. I'd like to see someone post a standard schedule they fly to make these numbers. With exact commute days, work days, block hours, etc. SWA guys on this board (and at my squadron) always seem to tout their high pay but then when you actually see their schedule it rarely turns out to be as rosy!

 

[FatesPawn]

Are you including your per diem in the 74K/95K numbers?... at SWA's per diem rate it adds a noticable amount.

That's before Per Diem. I made an additional 5400 in Per Diem

Fate

 

[RedDogC130]

Well this month I was scheduled for 91.0 TFP (which is times first year rates) unfortunately. I was scheduled for 17 days off. I don't commute so I lose no days at all. I fly in the guard so I lose those days to that otherwise I would be sitting at home or picking up other trips. I can see how some can pull higher numbers of TFPs plus time and a half (at a much higher rate than me) which can bring in some good cash.

Never count per diem, because if you are on a good crew than that money is wasted at the bar, not in your pocket

 

[CF34-3B1]

Hmmm. I'm a bit suspicious on some of those payrates since I fly reserves with about 5 SWA FOs and look at their schedule all the time. I'd like to see someone post a standard schedule they fly to make these numbers. With exact commute days, work days, block hours, etc. SWA guys on this board (and at my squadron) always seem to tout their high pay but then when you actually see their schedule it rarely turns out to be as rosy!

Typical month for me as a very junior line holder (85% ish in my seat/base)

Off 1st -6th (with the way my previou month went, I had 9 consecutive days off)

7th – 10th 4 day trip
TAFB: 80:50
Block: 25:43
Credit: 32:09

Off 11th – 13th

14th – 17th 4 day trip
TAFB: 80:46
Block: 25:33
Credit: 32:09

Off 18th – 20th

21st – 24th 4 day trip
TAFB: 81:59
Block: 25:05
Credit: 31:61

Off 25th – 27th

28th – 30th 3 day trip
TAFB: 57:49
Block: 16:11
Credit: 21:70

At 2nd year FO rates that’s a little over $9k gross before per diem.

I could hold all 3 days if I want, for an additional day off per week, and probably a grand to $1500 less gross.

I've done several months where I gave away trips and rolled the dice on VJA, with my high gross month being 151 TFP or a gross of about $11,700 on 2nd year pay before per diem. That was with 13 days off.

 

[Ralph Wiggums]

Hmmm. I'm a bit suspicious on some of those payrates since I fly reserves with about 5 SWA FOs and look at their schedule all the time. I'd like to see someone post a standard schedule they fly to make these numbers. With exact commute days, work days, block hours, etc. SWA guys on this board (and at my squadron) always seem to tout their high pay but then when you actually see their schedule it rarely turns out to be as rosy!

Guys that make this kind of money at SWA really manipulate their schedules...they try to minimize block time (by accepting reserve giveaways or trades from other pilots hoping not to be used, or flying open time with lots of paid deadhead, or flying VJA for time and a half, etc)...by keeping block time low, they are frequently only limited by the 24/7 rule from picking up trips. They may very well fly multiple 6-day stretches a month if they can work it out. Without going into the details any more than that, it is possible to make lots of money per month at SWA.

A more typical expectation is to fly 100 trips a month...very easy, lots of time off. This equates to $93K for second year FO plus per diem, 401(k) match, and profit sharing.

 

[SWA/FO]

the SWA/FO...... 1 week vacation..dropped everything. Turned into 26 days off. Started to pick up from Pilot-give-away. Now, 142 trips for pay, 18 days off, 75 block hours.

142 X 107.19 = 15221 (not bad for a troublemaker, 202.95 per hour)

 

[FatesPawn]

Hmmm. I'm a bit suspicious on some of those payrates since I fly reserves with about 5 SWA FOs and look at their schedule all the time. I'd like to see someone post a standard schedule they fly to make these numbers. With exact commute days, work days, block hours, etc. SWA guys on this board (and at my squadron) always seem to tout their high pay but then when you actually see their schedule it rarely turns out to be as rosy!

Babylon,

Part of what you're seeing is the simple fact that they ARE in your reserve unit. Their schedule is less flexible. Also, they are likely either comutting to their unit or work. In either case, a comutte is a comutte. I live in MDW. I am CERTAINLY not doing 200k/year. But as a 3rd year guy, I expect to CREDIT about 100 per month at $86.22/ credit. Without much trying, I should be at about $104,000 before per diem (only because that was questioned earlier).

Please don't take this as bragging our "touting" our high pay. My hourly rate was going to be much higher at my former legacy carrier pre bankruptcy

This month I do 3 3-day trips and 1 4-day trip. That equals 99.84 for the month. I always try to trade my line to work 13 days and credit 100. My original line was 96 but I traded a single 3 day for a different 3 day that credited 4 more to get to 100. If you want, it's not hard to do at all.

Some guys will try to clear their schedule in hopes of picking up 1.5 flying on the weekends/holidays. A wife and 2 kids at home prevent me from doing anything so adventurous.

 

[328dude]

As a first year guy, here's mine.

June 1-4 (RNO,TUL.LAS)
June 10-12 (TPA, TUL)
June 17-19 (LAX, TUL)
June 25-27 (PIT,TUL)

Total Trip pay=94+ (I'll probably extra fly a day or two to push it to 100, but just depends on whats going on. I like my days off at home)
17 days off plus the TUL overnights +4=21 nights at home.

 

[hyeflyin]

Hey guys, regarding trip trades. Can you trade your trip with one in open time, or does someone have to pick up your trip first. Also can you trade for a lower credit amount?. Thanks.

 

[ivauir]

Hey guys, regarding trip trades. Can you trade your trip with one in open time, or does someone have to pick up your trip first. Also can you trade for a lower credit amount?. Thanks.

You can trade with another pilot for anything that is legal. You can trade with the company, but it is hard to trade down (a 3 day for a 4 day for example). Don't get too wraped around the axel about this, we're in a section 6 right now and the system will change before it is a all over. Suffice it to say that it is a very flexible system, you are not going to trade your way out of working Christmas, but I have almost 2 weeks off in a row this month (72 TFP) and last month I worked my tail off (140 TFP). All because it fit into my plans. I have trouble imagining a better trade off between QOL and greed (I mean capitalism).

And I have no LBB MAF or LAS overnights on my board. I don't mind LBB of MAF, but Genital Lee seems to think that is a big deal. LAS sucks.

 

[FatesPawn]

I have trouble imagining a better trade off between QOL and greed (I mean capitalism).

Ah, the old sloth (QOL) vs. greed (capitalism) argument. Sloth wins everytime... it's just greed in another form.

-fate

 

[livethedream]

Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum sambucus

 

[ivauir]

Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum sambucus

Mala Fide! Cicumvenio!

 

[Quimby]

Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum sambucus

youoneofdemfartsmellersspeakindemfancyforenlanguages?

 

[Lear70]

Ah, the old sloth (QOL) vs. greed (capitalism) argument. Sloth wins everytime... it's just greed in another form.

-fate

Ain't that the truth...

And Red Dog is right, although I don't work for SWA, I work for AAI, and the same thing applies: good crews = LOTS more money spent than made on per diem. Made about $80 on my last 4-day in per diem, then promptly spent over $150 in going in halfsies with the CA buying dinner & drinks for crews we were with.

Never include per diem in your earnings unless you're a brown bagger and slam clicker.

Those mojitos were good though,,, VEERRRRRY smooth.