No Fly Zone
I'll broad-stroke answer your questions.
I retired from UPS in 2007 after almost 20 years of commuting and flying international. Not wanting to live in Louisville, I chose to commute, which was the worst part of the job, but I preferred long periods at work to get long periods home. Flying int'l provided me with the best lifestyle available. Flying domestic with short periods off, wasn't my bag.
I primarily commuted on the company flights, with an occasional jumpseat on another carrier. There were times when I would start my trip pairing via a commercial flight to wherever the pairing began away from the domicile. The company would buy the ticket.
Having an international schedule allowed me longer times at home, minimizing the commute. I would net 12-15 days a month duty-free, minus the commute days.
The money was a bit better with an int'l schedule because of the int'l flight pay override and the increased per diem rate. Also, I was a long range nav check airman, so that additional pay sweetened the pot.
It all adds up to what your preference is for quality of life. I chose to live in an area more suitable to my lifestyle and still fly international trips, which meant commuting. Obviously, being senior (Class of '88 when the airline began) helped my cause. Had I decided to live at my Louisville domicile there would have been less complication, but my heart was elsewhere. Life is a compromise, and much of that effort resulted in a comfortable retirement. My theory is to maximize efforts while younger so as to be comfy in the later years. It was all worth it.
Good luck to you, because luck is part of the equation for success.