OP,
This horse has been beat to death. Do a search. Some forums on the web are dedicated to airline pilot issues.
Bottom line, the outcome of an airline career is highly variable, much more so than your average 9-5 IMO, when it comes to lifestyles differences among otherwise equal peers. I also think age plays into the decision-making process of how one views the pitfalls of such vocational choice. People favored by hiring waves and subsequent strides in seniority have little to complain about; those stuck in hire and fire furlough scenarios are much less impressed with the "career".
For my part I can tell you my biggest objections to a professional flying gig (in the civilian world,Im military reserves) is the lack of domicile security (I, too, wish to see my significant others during the week, not once a month like some visitation prison punk) and the lack of lateral income portability (can't take my X years of experience across the street at the age of 45 with kids in school and financial commitments of consequence, like 90% of the professional world out there is able to do). The retirement vehicles are crap too, which is par for the course. I grew up with two parents with classic pensions, so the 401k swindle may be sustainable to the " market" but it ain't gonna get median income earners anywhere NEAR a 75% or even 50% of peak income retirement; my parents pensions may be unsustainable, but at least the ---kers are getting paid and they did manage to stick it for 30. These days even if I stuck with thirty the best one can get is a 1% per creditable year annuity with uncle sugar, sans some LE pensions out there. For the rest, lump o coal. I digress.
A lot of domicile bases are in high cost of living areas and are generally a losing economic proposition. The thought of commuting across the land in the same aluminum tube for years on end seem as palatable to me as jabbing the very eyeballs out that allow me to even fly in the first place. I have military colleagues that make the trek to Anchorage from the SE US for that airline paycheck. Good on em, you couldn't pay me enough to do that for a week. To each their own. As to the regionals, Jesus Christ my heart goes out to those dudes. As a mil flyer, one could feasible skip those (most of the time anyways) by building TPIC in the military. I understand the starry eyed civilian pilot doesn't have much of a choice, but I would personally skip the profession outright if I was asked to sell myself short like that. Paying dues is a figment of people's imagination. Gen Y folks and younger should know by now that getting on a hamster wheel that will not honor their loyalty is a waste of time. The days of getting a handshake and a good deal died in the 80s I'm afraid. Legacy employers are for the history books these days.
And ditto on the expat flying gigs. Good on those dudes, but I don't care how much north of 10K/mo you pay me, my life is here, my culture is here, my family is here. No amount of money can make me look at being a chaffeur in Dubai any less arduous. Again, to each their own.
Good luck to ya.
