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The job of an airline pilot is one of the most alluring in the aviation industry, and the United States is widely regarded as the best country in the world to work as an airline pilot. This is due to a combination of relatively strong financial performance by the nation’s largest airlines, favorable working conditions enabled by strong unions, and some of the best pay rates in the world. While many scheduled carriers in the United States are desirable places to work, it’s the major airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines that offer the best pay and working conditions.
The pinnacle of any pilot’s career is to become a captain. On the flight deck of any large airliner, you’ll find a captain and a first officer. In some countries, the two serve slightly different roles, although in the US, the captain’s role is largely legal, as the captain is the pilot officially responsible for the safe operation of the flight. Captains are typically more senior than first officers, although the position is awarded purely by seniority in the US. Naturally, captains also receive higher pay than first officers.
Breaking Down Pilot Pay In The US
Pilot pay can vary dramatically by company type and region. In the United States, however, pilots working for a Part 121 operator (a company operating scheduled flights with large aircraft) are generally paid an hourly rate. This is a pilot’s main source of income and is directly tied to time with the company, as well as aircraft type and position. In addition, pilots are also paid per diem, which is essentially compensation for expenses accrued during a layover. Per diem is largely the same for all pilots at a given company, instead varying based on the layover location.
Pilots don’t work typical 40-hour workweeks. The FAA restricts commercial pilots to a maximum of 1,000 hours in a calendar year and 100 hours in a calendar month. In actuality, many pilots will fly significantly less, closer to 700 hours per year. All large mainline airlines in the US have unionized pilot groups, who work under contracts negotiated with the airline, and part of these contracts includes pay for a minimum number of hours per month. This will generally range from 70 to 78 hours per month, with reserve pilots being assigned a higher guarantee.
Reserve pilots are essentially on call for the month, but may not actually fly very often, which is why they’re paid a higher guarantee. Line pilots, meanwhile, have a set schedule for the month and will typically work anywhere from 70 to 90 hours. In addition, pilots have opportunities to pick up extra flying, which may be offered at a higher hourly rate, and pilots are given sick pay as well as paid vacation time. Furthermore, pilots in the US receive compensation for expenses during training.
How Much Do Captains Earn In The US
The most desirable passenger airlines to work for as a pilot in the US are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. Traditionally, cargo carriers FedEx Express and UPS Airlines also offered pay on par or even better than the passenger carriers, although pay rates at these airlines have not increased to the same level as the passenger carriers in recent years. Captain pay is, of course, higher than first officer salaries, but it varies depending on the aircraft.
A first-year pilot who upgrades to a captain will typically make at least $320 per hour if assigned to a narrowbody, though this changes by airline. Note that pilots are paid based on their total years with the company, rather than in a position. However, it’s rare for a pilot to be able to upgrade to captain in their first year, as it usually requires a few years of seniority to upgrade to narrowbody captain in a junior base. In a senior base, this could take five to eight years.
Narrowbody captains at the top of the pay scale (typically 12 years at a major airline) are paid around $390 per hour, although a large narrowbody like an Airbus A321neo pays slightly more than a smaller aircraft like a Boeing 737-700. Meanwhile, the position of a widebody captain is the most prestigious of all, but it also requires a minimum of 25 to 30 years of seniority. The lucky few who captain an Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner, however, are paid over $450 per hour.
What Is The Typical Salary For A Fighter Jet Pilot In The US?
Fighter pilots are exceptionally well-paid.
Getting To The Major US Airlines
Exact pay varies depending on how much you fly, but a general rule of thumb is to multiply a pilot’s hourly rate by 1,000 to get a rough annual salary. Therefore, a captain working for a major airline in the US can easily earn upwards of $300,000 per year when flying a narrowbody, while more experienced narrowbody captains often bring home well over $450,000. Meanwhile, a widebody captain in the US can easily earn over $500,000 per year, and of course, there are opportunities to pick up extra flying at premium pay.
The job of an airline pilot is a highly lucrative career, but the catch is that aspiring aviators need to earn several different licenses. The FAA requires an ATPL to work as an airline pilot, but before getting an ATPL, students need to first get a private pilot’s license (PPL), an instrument rating, a commercial pilot’s license (CPL), and a multi-engine rating. In addition, the FAA requires a total of 1,500 hours of flight experience to qualify for an ATPL, whereas a CPL only requires 250 hours. This means that commercial pilots must work other jobs, typically as a flight instructor, before applying to work at an airline.
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General Training Progression |
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Private Pilot’s License (PPL) |
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Instrument Rating |
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Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) |
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Multi-Engine Rating |
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Certificated Flight Instructor (only if looking to instruct) |
Even with an ATPL, you can’t simply apply to work for one of the major airlines. Although it’s widely reported that the US is experiencing a pilot shortage, the pilot market is highly competitive, and applicants need to gain experience at other Part 121 carriers. Some of the US’s budget airlines offer competitive pay and working conditions to the major airlines, but you’ll almost always need to first work at a regional airline. These carriers operate flights on behalf of Alaska, American, Delta, and United, using smaller regional jets, and they offer lower salaries than budget airlines or major airlines.
Working In The Air Freight World
Historically, FedEx Express and 
UPS Airlines were just as desirable places to work, if not more so, than the major passenger airlines. Working conditions were comparable to the majors, and so were the salaries. What’s more, because a majority of aircraft at FedEx or UPS are widebodies, most pilots will be assigned to a widebody and thereby receive the highest available pay rates, which is not the case at the major airlines. However, pay rates are now lower than at the passenger airlines, though captains can still make over $400,000 per year.
There are other, smaller cargo airlines in the US, some of which operate scheduled services while others can be labeled as ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance). Of these, the best-known ACMI airlines in the US are Atlas Air and Kalitta Air, which primarily operate charter flights with freight aircraft. As is the case with most Part 121 operators in the US, pilots work under union-negotiated contracts. At these two, captains’ pay typically starts from $165,000 to over $200,000, and can exceed $300,000 at the top of the pay scale. These rates are similar to those at other cargo operators.
(Data From Airline Pilot Central)
In general, pay rates at cargo airlines are similar to those at passenger airlines, with FedEx and UPS leading the pack. The main difference, however, is the lifestyle. Cargo pilots primarily operate overnight flights, and international trips tend to be longer than those at the passenger carriers. In addition, FedEx and UPS pilots often have to operate “hub turns”, which involve flying short segments to and from a single spoke airport, with long periods of waiting in between flights in the middle of the night, and are generally undesirable.
A Look At The Salaries Of US Low-Cost Carrier Pilots In 2026
While known for low fares, these airlines offer competitive pay for pilots.
Why Pilot Salaries Are So High (And The Reality Of A Pilot Career)
Currently, pilot salaries are as high as they’ve ever been in the United States, but this is in part because the US’s largest airlines have been performing fairly well financially, and there has been a high number of pilot retirements. The pilot unions have taken advantage of this unique position of strength to negotiate historical salaries along with more favorable working conditions.
The reality, however, is that the aviation industry is highly cyclical. The United States airline industry hasn’t seen a prolonged downturn since the Great Recession, which led to bankruptcies and pilot furloughs. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively short in comparison, but although the full-service airlines have been performing well, the budget airlines have been struggling. Spirit Airlines, for example, furloughed hundreds of pilots in 2025. In the 2000s, when many US airlines were struggling, pilots were subject to furloughs and pay cuts.
Flying is an extremely rewarding career that has high earning potential, but it’s not the career for someone who prioritizes job stability and consistent high salaries, since these are at jeopardy if the economy tanks. Therefore, it’s a job that is only for those who love the work, and in specific circumstances, the money can be extremely high as well.
