Overview

Welcome! The Pilot Pathfinder team has been burning the midnight oil to bring you a detailed analysis of the 2023 United Pilot Contract. We’ve poured over the fine print, deciphered the legalese, and boiled it down to the most crucial points you need to know. We’re going beyond the surface to give you the most comprehensive breakdown available on the web.

Right off the bat, one of the most notable updates in the contract is a significant increase in pay rates—a whopping 34.5%-40.2% rise over the agreement’s life. That’s not all, a generous signing bonus and retirement contributions further sweeten the deal. But it’s not just about the pay, they’ve taken into account your work-life balance too.

For the reserve pilots, the new contract includes more days off, allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. The vacation pay scheme has been revamped, providing you with higher daily pay and credit—a much-deserved reward for your tireless efforts.

Bidding procedures have also seen an overhaul, with a new system designed to be more convenient and efficient, easing the administrative load and allowing you to focus on what you do best—flying.

The contract also addressed the commuting challenges many pilots face. With the new rules, you’ll experience greater flexibility in your travels, leading to less stress and more peace of mind.

Health provisions have seen major improvements as well, especially concerning Long Term Disability (LTD). They’ve successfully reduced the pilot cost share for LTD and introduced an Extended Sick Bank to make sick leave policies more accommodating.

Retirement planning is another area where they’ve made significant strides. The retirement package now includes an increase in contributions from 15% to up to 18% over the agreement’s life, along with increased flexibility for withdrawal options.

This comprehensive overview is just the tip of the iceberg. As we dive deeper into this contract, we’re sure you’ll find many more exciting updates designed with your best interests at heart. So sit back, relax, and let us take you through these changes. After all, we’re all on this journey together. Let’s explore!

Also…in addition to our analysis of the United pilot contract, you might be interested in seeing how other major airlines structure their contracts. Check out our in-depth analysis of the Delta Pilot Contract for a comprehensive look at another leading airline’s agreement.

Contract Duration

Contract Aspect	Details
Duration	Four years
Amendable Date	September 30, 2027
Openers	January 3, 2027

Snap-Up

• An additional 1% increase after the Date of Signing (DOS) to match Delta snap up (1% above United).
• If Delta receives a snap-up triggered by American, United Pilots receive the same increase.

This ensures that United’s pay rates remain competitive with industry standards.

Pay & Pay Rates

With increases ranging from 13.8% to 18.7% at the Date of Signing (DOS), followed by steady raises each year, your paychecks are set to be noticeably fatter. That’s a hefty upgrade, wouldn’t you agree? Here are the details:

Key Changes	Details
General Pay Increases	– Cumulative 34.5%-40.2% increase in pay rates over the life of the agreement. Upon the Date of Signing (DOS), United Pilots’ pay rates will increase by 13.8% to 18.7% depending on the aircraft type. – Pay rates will further increase by 1% if Delta triggers the Snap Up provision, making United pay rates match Delta through 2026. Scheduled annual pay rate increases are 5% in Jan 2024, 4% in Jan 2025, 4% in Jan 2026, and 3% in Jan 2027.
Reserve Pay and Others	– Holiday Pay of 5:15 for trips that touch certain holidays. The Reserve minimum pay guarantee (MPG) is set to 4:17:39 per day. All unused Short Calls will add 1 hour MPG. Increases in International Override to $7.00 for Captains and $5.00 for First Officers. -Training pay is 5 hours per day. Distance Learning pay will be 1 hour: 1.5 hours duration, with a minimum of 1 hour pay. The contract eliminates line-holder MPG and incorporates 70-hour minimum protection into PTC. Changes in Profit Sharing formula to match Delta’s, with 10% up to 2.5B and 20% above 2.5B, and will be eligible for retirement contributions. – The LCP Override is increased to 25% of the 12th-year Captain pay rate of the highest-paying aircraft in the fleet.
Captain and First Officer Pay Rates	– Holiday Pay of 5:15 for trips that touch certain holidays. The Reserve minimum pay guarantee (MPG) is set to 4:17:39 per day. All unused Short Calls will add 1 hour MPG. Increases in International Override to $7.00 for Captains and $5.00 for First Officers. – Training pay is 5 hours per day. Distance Learning pay will be 1 hour: 1.5 hours duration, with a minimum of 1-hour pay. The contract eliminates line-holder MPG and incorporates a 70-hour minimum protection into PTC. Changes in Profit Sharing formula to match Delta’s, with 10% up to 2.5B and 20% above 2.5B, and will be eligible for retirement contributions. – The LCP Override is increased to 25% of the 12th-year Captain pay rate of the highest-paying aircraft in the fleet.

Captain Pay Rates 2023 (DOS)

First Officer Pay Rates 2023 (DOS)

Signing Bonus (Retro)

Let’s talk bonuses. Who doesn’t love a good bonus, right? The signing bonus, or retro, comes in at a whopping $1.2 billion. This recapture of lost pay includes 4% of 2020 earnings, 4% of 2021 earnings, 14% of 2022 earnings, and 14% of earnings from January 2023 to the Date of Signing. The cherry on top? This bonus is eligible for retirement contributions.

Expenses

Key Changes	Details
Per Diem Increased for CONUS and Alaska	2023 – $2.85, 2024 – $2.90
Per Diem Increased for Other Locations	2023 – $3.40, 2024 – $3.45. Both rates increase 2.5% for each subsequent year starting 2025
Rate Increase for Trips Not Departing from Primary Base	For trips not departing from primary base airport (cross-town), the hourly rate increases to $30. Adds TPA
Second Passport Reimbursement	Company reimbursement for a second passport and pay protection for visa processing delays
Increased Stipend for Non-provided Company Parking	Non-provided Company parking stipend increased to $60 a month

Vacation

Vacation Pay Rates

Vacation Year	Daily Pay	Daily Credit
2023-2024	3:45	3:15
2024-2025	4:15	3:45
2025-2026	4:15	4:15

Key Changes in Vacation Rules

Key Changes	Details
Compensation for Vacation Days	Compensation for 2023-2024 awarded vacation days taken prior to the Date of Signing (DOS).
Protection for Time Credit	Starting with vacation year 2024-2025, removes line-holder Minimum Pay Guarantee (MPG) and adds Pay Time Credit (PTC) protection for lines built below 70 hours.
Removal of “Fly for Free”	Removes the “fly for free” during bid periods with vacation.
Minimum Time Between Vacations	Ability to bid for a minimum time between annual vacation awards.
Category Change	Pilots who change categories can elect to keep one awarded vacation period of up to 14 days in length.
First-Time Captain Vacancy	First-time Captain vacancy award the Pilot can elect to keep two awarded vacation periods of up to 14 days in length.
Delayed Return from Vacation	If the Company is unable to return a Pilot to base prior to the start of vacation, the Pilot can submit for reimbursement of up to $1,500 in unrecovered vacation expenses.
Vacation Forfeitures	Vacation forfeitures are eligible for Retirement contributions.

Medical

1. Vaccine or Medical Procedure Requirement: The company won’t enforce any vaccine or medical procedures that go beyond FAA medical requirements. This provision also includes Special Issuance.
2. Medical Information Sharing: The company will not require pilots to share any medical information beyond what is necessary to demonstrate compliance with FAA medical requirements unless otherwise stated in the agreement.
3. Company-Paid Maternity and Parental Leave: United Airlines is introducing company-paid maternity leave of eight weeks. There is also a provision for parental leave, offering two weeks of paid leave plus an additional two weeks of unpaid leave.
4. PBS Solution Restrictions: There will be no restrictions in the Preferential Bidding System (PBS) solution due to a pilot’s vaccination status.
5. Drop and Block for Restricted Destinations: If a pilot is unable to fly to certain destinations due to operational impact or government restrictions, they will have the ability to trade away from restricted destinations. If a trip remains scheduled within 14 days of departure, it will be dropped without pay and the schedule will be blocked on those days.
6. Duty Period Extension: There is a provision for a 30-minute extension in the duty period for drug and/or alcohol testing.
7. FAA Medical Reimbursement: The reimbursement for FAA medical has been increased to $100, plus an additional $75 per EKG.

Sick Leave

• Monthly Sick Leave accrual has increased to 6 hours.
• An Extended Sick Bank (ESB) is available for use when the sick bank is exhausted. It provides a bridge to cover the waiting period to Long Term Disability (LTD) and provides additional income while on LTD.
• Kin Care has been introduced, allowing pilots to use up to 30 hours of sick leave per year to care for a dependent, subject to verification.
• The trigger for Rapid Accrual has been reduced to 170 hours of Sick Leave used.
• Sick Leave restoration (make-up) can now occur in the same or subsequent bid period, with Company concurrence on an hour-by-hour basis.
• Use of Sick Leave cannot take you above 95 hours of pay for a bid period (only paid sick hours will be deducted from the bank).
• Pilots are granted 120 ESB hours at DOS and will accrue 4 hours per month in months that a Pilot accrues sick time up to 180 hours. The ESB has a per-incident cap of 180 hours, with a lifetime max of 540 hours.
• A Reserve that voluntarily pre-assigns sick within a block of reserve days can be placed on sick leave for the remainder of the reserve block by the Company.
• A Global Reserve Pilot may declare themselves unavailable on a Reserve Day Off (RDO) for a medical appointment up to four times in a rolling 12 months.
• The requirement for a Doctor’s note that is currently needed for Line Pay Value (LPV) above 92 hours for line holders and above Minimum Pay Guarantee (MPG) for Reserves has been eliminated.
• Pay protection has been introduced when directed to stay home by the Company when otherwise fit for duty.
• Rapid sick accrual for On Job Injury (OJI) events that exceed 40 hours.

Long-Term Disability (LTD)

Key Changes	Details
Pilot Cost Share	Pilot cost share reduced from 35% to 25%.
Max Benefit	Max benefit initially increased to $13,657, indexed to future pay raises.
Waiting Period	Waiting period reduced from 90 days to 60 days.
Elimination of LTD Offsets	Elimination of Long Term Disability (LTD) offsets, except for United Airlines employment.
Retirement Contributions	Full retirement contributions based on pre-disability income. Contributions account for any Retirement amounts from Extended Sick Bank (ESB). Contributions will be made to Market-Based Cash Balance Plan (MBCBP).
Exclusion for Preexisting Conditions	Elimination of exclusion for preexisting conditions for new hires and Pilots who opt-in.

Insurance

When it comes to insurance, the contract has improved the coverage for Long Term Disability (LTD). The cost share for pilots is reduced from 35% to 25% and the max benefit is increased to $13,657, indexed to future pay raises.

Retirement

Retirement contributions will increase to 17% in the January 2024 bid period and further to 18% in the January 2026 bid period. A new addition to the contract is that vacation forfeitures are now eligible for retirement contributions.

The PRAP plan documents will be modified to allow for withdrawals at 59 ½ years of age. A new Market-Based Cash Balance Plan (MBCBP) will be established. Depending on IRS permissions, pilots will make a yearly choice to spill excess PRAP contributions into the new MBCBP, or continue spilling excess into RHA/HRA.

Line-holders

Let’s turn our attention to Lineholders. A significant change here is the elimination of the line-holder minimum pay guarantee (MPG). Instead, a 70-hour minimum protection has been incorporated into PTC. This resolves the “upside-down” and “fly for free” issues during bid periods with vacation.

Key Changes	Details
Duty and Payment	– Min daily average increased to 5:15 with a new min calendar day credit of 2:30. New provisions for additional pay for unaugmented long duty days over 10 hours and for long sits. Lineholders will no longer be involuntarily assigned FSB following a loss of flying. – Premium pay will not be lower than 100% from November 15 – 30 and December 15 – January 3. The company can also designate a trip with 125% Premium Pay when awarded as a straight pick-up.
Scheduling Flexibility	– Improved Reserve Pool Management to facilitate better trip trading/dropping abilities. When a pilot loses any part of a trip other than the originating segment, the company now has a limit of 2 hours to reassign the pilot. – Pilots now have the option to be removed from a reassignment that disrupts a day off if the reassignment is done prior to 1400 LBT the day prior. Separate but contiguous blocks of AV days will be treated as a single block for assignments.
Pilots’ Rights and Working Conditions	– If the company fails to book a Deadhead correctly, which results in a rescheduled Deadhead, the pilot is entitled to overtime pay and a day-off restoration. If a pilot is late for any reason after 2 hours from the originally scheduled release time, the pilot is entitled to a 1:3 rig until the end of the originally scheduled last day of the trip. – All 756 disrupted days off are eligible for restoration with the option to defer restoration to the following bid period.

Instructor/Evaluator & Line Check Pilots (LCPs)

In the world of Instructors and Evaluators, the LCP Override is seeing an increase to 25% of the 12th-year Captain pay rate of the highest-paying aircraft in the fleet. This is a considerable upgrade from the previous contract.

For Line Check Pilots, there are several enhancements. The LCP Override is now 25% of the 12th-year CA pay rate of the highest-paying aircraft in operation, and it attaches when the trip becomes frozen, regardless of whether LCP duties are conducted.

Up to 60% of awarded flying days of an LCP’s PBS schedule can be frozen immediately. The company may offer premium pay to perform LCP duty on a trip at the same level of premium pay being offered in the category on a different trip.

Further improvements for LCP include new payment regulations for Evaluators who are LCP qualified. They will be paid the greater Evaluator pay or Blended rate plus LCP override for 90 hours. There is also a new provision for a Voluntary Full-Time LCP Month.

The LCP’s schedule will be built to 13 days off, with the company building the schedule and the pilot choosing a block of up to 6 days off that must be awarded. The LCP will be paid 90 hours at the higher rate of the best held with the Evaluator override or the current rate plus the LCP override. Any flying picked up on days off will be paid above the 90 hours.

Commuters

For those commuting, there are new rules that make life easier. If a pilot purchases a ticket or is on a Positive Space pass booked 12 hours prior to scheduled report time and is scheduled to arrive at least 90 minutes prior to report time, then a backup flight is not required.

Update	Description
Purchasing a ticket or Positive Space pass	If a Pilot purchases a ticket or is on a Positive Space pass booked 12 hours prior to scheduled report time and is scheduled to arrive at least 90 minutes prior to report time, then a backup flight is not required
Reserve in the first 2.5 hours of Short Call	Reserve in the first 2.5 hours of Short Call not required to be Phone Available if the Pilot informs Crew Scheduling of the flight that will put them in position for the earliest possible report time during the Short Call period
New aircraft jumpseat	New aircraft from the manufacturer must have a second jumpseat installed, or a seat in the cabin will be reserved for a second United Pilot jump-seater

Monthly Bidding

Monthly bidding is getting an upgrade. The window for monthly bidding is moving two days earlier. This gives you more time to make your bids, reducing the last-minute rush.

Updates
A)	Monthly Bidding Window moved two days earlier
B)	Bidding opens by 4th at 17:00
C)	CA bidding closes 10th at 08:00, FO bidding closes 11th at 08:00
D)	CA awards by 13th at 23:59, FO awards by 15th at 23:59
E)	LPA, Line Credit Ranges, and G-Line cannot be adjusted beyond 24 hours after bid opening (New)

Trip Construction

1. Trip construction: The construction of trips shall not have more duty periods than the number of days in the trip.
2. ANF Trip Construction:
   • Expanded ANF window of 01:15-04:44.
   • Pilots will have 16:45 free from duty before an ANF.
   • Duty period limitation if layover is less than 16 hours following an ANF.
   • Basic trips are limited to one ANF, unless no non-ANF flights exist in the market.
3. Basic Trip Mix (737/320):
   • Minimum of 15% 1-day (10% in Jun/Jul/Aug).
   • Minimum of 15% 2-day (10% in Jun/Jul/Aug).
   • Maximum of 50% 4-day (45% in Jun/Jul/Aug).
4. Min daily average: Increased to 5:15.
5. Min calendar day credit: Increased to 2:30.
6. Unaugmented long duty day Add Pay: 1:1 for every minute on duty over 10 hours.
7. Add Pay for long sits scheduled over 2 hours:
   • DOS – 20 seconds per minute (1:3).
   • 2024 – 30 seconds per minute (1:2).
8. FSB assignment after loss of flying: Line-holders can no longer be involuntarily assigned FSB after loss of flying.

Scope & Career Security

In terms of scope and career security, the new contract tightens the minimum crew language. Now, two pilots from the United Pilot Seniority List must be on the aircraft flight deck. This change ensures job security and maintains high standards of operation.

Training

Significant improvements have been made to the United Airlines pilot training program. Training duration has been clearly defined with a 4:15 hours per day pay and credit for training lasting less than 5 days in 2023, increasing to 5 hours per day in 2024. For training sessions extending 5 days or more, pay and credit are set at 3:07 hours per day.

Distance learning pay has been revised to offer 1 hour of pay for every 1.5 hours of learning duration, with minimum pay for 1 hour, enhancing the previous 1:4 ratio. If recurrent training is delayed past the original footprint, pilots will receive 2 hours of additional pay for same-day delays and 4 hours if rescheduled into a day off.

United Airlines also introduces the option for pilots to bid for pre-built long training footprints, thus offering more flexibility. First-time captains are now provided with a full course as part of their training requirements.

Lastly, to enhance safety and efficiency, the company has prohibited the pairing of two new hires together in initial training.

Key Changes	Details
Training Less Than 5 Days	2023 pay and credit – 4:15 hours per day, 2024 pay and credit – 5 hours per day.
Training 5 Days or Greater	Pay and credit 3:07 hours per day.
Distance Learning Pay	Pay 1 hour : 1.5 hours duration (previously was 1:4), with a minimum of 1 hour pay.
Add Pay for Delayed Recurrent Training	2 hours for delays on the same day, 4 hours if rescheduled into a day off.
Pre-built Long Training Footprints	All first-time Captains are given a full course.
Training Requirement for First-Time Captains	All first-time Captains given a full course.
Prohibition of Two New Hires Paired Together in Initial Training	Prohibition of two new hires paired together in initial training.

Grievance

The grievance procedure has been revised as well. If a pilot is brought in for a disciplinary interview on a day off, they will receive 3 hours of additional pay. Video conferencing is also now available for disciplinary interviews or meetings.

Category	Details
Pilot Brought in for a Disciplinary Interview on a Day Off	Pilot brought in for a Disciplinary Interview on a day off provided 3 hours Add Pay
Video Conferencing Availability	Video conferencing available for Disciplinary Interview / Meeting
Pilot Consents to Video Conferencing	Pilot who consents to video conferencing provided 1 hour Add Pay

Staffing

1. First-time Captain Vacancies: Now, pilots taking a first-time Captain vacancy are entitled to a paid move. Furthermore, first-time Captains have the option to exchange this paid move for 12 months of Positive Space travel.
2. Minimum Crew Requirements: The new agreement tightens the minimum crew language, specifying that two Pilots from the United Pilot Seniority List must be on the aircraft flight deck.
3. Unaugmented Duty Limit: The unaugmented duty limit has been further restricted from FAR 117 to 13 hours scheduled, or the table minus 30 minutes, whichever is less.
4. Freeze Start Dates: The start dates for freezes now begin on the date of the vacancy award. Furthermore, a pilot becomes activated at the completion of Line Oriented Evaluation (LOE).
5. Base Trade Restrictions: New restrictions have been placed on base trades to protect seniority.
6. Captain Vacancies: United pilots can bid for Captain as long as they meet the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) minimum requirements for the upgrade. However, they cannot train until they meet further requirements, which include a minimum of 500 hours in United aircraft and being off probation, or 350 hours in type at United with additional training and check ride requirements, including 100 hours of Operating Experience (OE).
7. Unfilled Captain Vacancies: If Captain vacancies remain unfilled, they may now be offered to new hire pilots who meet the qualifications. An unfilled Captain vacancy filled by a new hire will continue to be offered in subsequent vacancy bids until the new hire is scheduled for Captain Upgrade training.

Guam Flying

For those flying out of Guam, there’s a foreign base allowance of $3,500, with no requirement for a Guam home of record. Furthermore, losses/damage shipping via United COMAT will be reimbursed until the Company finds an insurance company.

Contract Update
Foreign base allowance $3,500, no Guam home of record required
Losses/damage shipping via United COMAT shall be reimbursed until Company finds an insurance company
Minimum pay 7:45 for any single-duty trip spanning two calendar days
If fewer than two AMEs in Guam, Positive Space roundtrip to Manila, Tokyo, or Honolulu for FAA medical
Pilots can travel +/- 15 days to/from mainland for training
Island Hopper reassignments limited to 48 hours after the original release
Recurrent Training Day Off Proration eliminated

Pilot Pathfinder’s Verdict

After a meticulous review of the 2023 United Pilot Contract, our verdict is in: It’s a fantastic contract! United has truly gone above and beyond to provide a comprehensive package that is both competitive and in line with industry standards. It’s clear that they’ve listened to their pilots’ needs and made adjustments accordingly.

This contract stands toe-to-toe with the recently released Delta contract, showcasing United’s commitment to staying competitive in the aviation industry. From the impressive pay rate increases and the revamped retirement contributions to the improved medical provisions and the thoughtful work-life balance measures, United has shown a clear understanding of what makes pilots tick.

United has taken a significant step forward with this contract. It’s a well-rounded agreement that reflects a deep understanding of pilot needs and industry trends. Kudos to United for setting a high standard!

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