About year 7 for me. I'm still only on my third company. Started on the ramp for 18 months, then a King Air 200 for about 6 more ($0.04 per mile--no base pay
). Then went to 748 FO for about $40k and up from there to finish there just under $70k after about 5.5 yrs total.
Went an unconventional route but took a rise to about $75k at the next company and climbed there to hit $85 in just over a year. Finished there after 8 years around $110k but too much work. Now working for about the same, but a lot less work.
As you can see from the above posts, things can vary a lot depending on luck, your flexibility, your willingness to stick to a job, or move from it, etc.
Stick with the "one track" trying to get to Big Red and doing everything you can to avoid moving (and God forbid moving away from Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, whatever) may pay off in about 7 years, or you may still be flying bags for $35k. More likely the latter in my experience. By the way, Big Red and its subsidiaries don't pay squat for the first several YEARS even if you get there.
You need to decide based on your own priorities in life. If you want (need) $85k fast, you need to be ready to chase it--possibly overseas. If you want (need) to not leave big city Canada, then you may be a while longer reaching 85.
Have fun with whatever you do. The only folks I really feel sorry for are the ones that hate the climb up the ladder so much that they basically waste their life while doing it because they are so miserable at not being at the top.
