I live in PHX and will most likely get a LAX base. Anyone doing this commute? Can i usually be safe flying in on Southwest on the first flight on day 1. This gets me into LAX around 6-7am or would I need to commute the day before.
That would be really risky. I've had 5:30 AM FBO reports on several occasions, which would be impossible if you're on a morning airline flight, obviously. (The earliest SWA flight gets into LAX at 7:20am.) You won't know your actual show time until the evening prior, and by then it's possible the flights will all be booked.
On the positive side, last-minute one-way flights from PHX to LAX are only $120 on Southwest, but if you're going to be going by air, I'd still recommend you come out the night before. You're
really not going to want to find out you have a 5am show, and end up driving all night to make it.
Would I need to be on the 7/7 schedule to make this work?
Unless you're willing to risk last-minute one-way tickets, it'd probably be best to get on the 7/7, yes.
I know they will fly me back to PHX on the last day, etc.
Yes, they will,
if they were going to airline you back to LAX, and up to the value of that original ticket. Every once in a while you'll end up flying a plane back to your domicile, and in that case, you'll have to get yourself a ticket home. But that's happened only once or twice to me in the past 6 months.
Anyone have a real idea of upgrade times if hired in the next month? I hear 3 years if I get on soon, but some swear more like 5-6.
My wild-ass guess would be 4-5 years.
