EMIRATES???? You must be kidding... NO WAY.. Its a a myth everyone believes when the name 'emirates' is mentioned, people think its the best deal going.. And as for which airline pays the best, well its highly subjective, the Guys at SIA in my opinion had the best break, both Captains and F/O's but then living costs in SIN are very high, but lifestyle is excellent.. Now the expats at SIA are having fears and some of them are looking at Middle east.. I also did hear that the Chinese carriers are paying good money, and living costs in China are very low, good standard of living for the money u get as a pilot.. Again its all very subjective, for you it might be the middle east, for me it might be somewhere else.. What I'm trying to say here is that, just big digits on paper does not mean the best deal, one has to consider where the money is being paid in..