Major Airline Pilot Salary: First Officer and Captain Pay in 2024 (2024)

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Major Airline Pilot Salary: First Officer and Captain Pay in 2024? ›

For the relatively small investment you make in flight training, the financial rewards of a pilot's paycheck are more than sufficient. With an annual income in 2024 ranging from $56,000 to $700,000+ in the U.S., it is important to understand how pilot salaries are calculated.

For the relatively small investment you make in flight training, the financial rewards of a pilot's paycheck are more than sufficient. With an annual income in 2024 ranging from $56,000 to $700,000+ in the U.S., it is important to understand how pilot salaries are calculated.

As of May 27, 2024, the average annual pay for the United Airlines Pilot jobs category in the United States is $130,916 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $62.94 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,517/week or $10,909/month.

According to the latest version of the Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook, the commercial fleet will grow 3.5% in 2024, and 649,000 new pilots will be needed over the next twenty years, the majority in Eurasia, China, and North America (Boeing, 2024).

A first officer at a regional airline just starting out can expect to earn from $6,000 to $8,000 per month (before taxes) during their first couple of years. A captain at a regional airline can earn roughly $11,000 to $15,000 per month (before taxes). Major airline pilots earn substantially more.

Established airline pilots are paid very well, with the annual earnings of senior captains around $450,000, some pilots can expect a ten million dollar career in total earnings, illustrated below according to the typical career progression.

Some pilots do make $300,000 or more depending on whom they fly for and what experience they have.

On average, salaries for captains can range from $100,000 to $350,000 per year, while first officers earn slightly less, averaging between $50,000 to $150,000 annually. These figures can vary based on individual airline contracts and industry trends.

Average Delta Air Lines Captain yearly pay in the United States is approximately $282,920, which is 286% above the national average. Salary information comes from 8 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisem*nts on Indeed in the past 36 months.

As a first officer for United Airlines your pay starts at $116 per hour and quickly grows to $177 per hour in year two if you are flying on the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320. The following numbers are an estimate of what you can expect to earn as a United Airlines first officer salary. Updated as of March 2024.

What is the retirement age for pilots? ›

Key committee negotiators in the House and Senate released a long-awaited compromise bill last week to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, which retained the current commercial pilot retirement age of 65.

Total revenues are expected to reach $996 billion (+9.7%) in 2024—a record high. Total expenses are expected to reach $936 billion (+9.4%) in 2024—a record high. Total travelers are expected to reach 4.96 billion in 2024—a record high. Total air cargo volumes are expected to reach 62 million tonnes in 2024.

The median annual wage for commercial pilots was $113,080 in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200. Airline pilots usually begin their careers as first officers and receive wage increases as they accumulate experience and seniority.

How much does an American Airlines Pilot make? As of May 27, 2024, the average annual pay for an American Airlines Pilot in the United States is $130,916 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $62.94 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,517/week or $10,909/month.

However , on average , a pilot can earn anywhere from $ 100,000 to $ 200,000 per year , with some experienced pilots earning even more . This is comparable to the average salary of a doctor , which can range from $ 150,000 to $ 300,000 per year , depending on their specialty and level of experience .

Projections indicate a potential global shortage of 50,000 pilots by 2025. Research published by Statista on December 8, 2023 shows that global commercial aircraft fleet is expected to increase from 25,900 to 47,080 aircrafts between 2019 and 2041.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for airline and commercial pilots is also growing at about four percent per year. They estimate that there are about 16,800 job openings for airline pilots every year, and there will be a need for 5,400 more pilots in the US alone by 2032.

After 10 years a first officer at Delta will earn $151 per hour. At the 65-hour minimum guarantee, a Boeing 757 first officer starts out making at least $55,000 per year and by year 10 will be making more than $120,000 per year, not including per diem.

Consulting firm Oliver Wyman noted that demand for pilots sparked an increase in pay and quality of life, with some salaries increasing as much as 86%. They estimate the pilot shortage to continue well into the decade with a shortfall of 17,000 pilots in 2032.