Salary Expectations
What regional and major airlines are actually advertising right now, in annual terms — not the headline number from a recruiting ad.
These are current published figures as of early 2026, compiled from industry pay-scale trackers, not a guarantee of what you'll be offered. Pay is set airline-by-airline through union contracts and changes with each new agreement — always check the specific carrier's current contract before treating a number here as fact. pilotjobsnetwork.com tracks live per-airline pay data and is worth checking directly — though it's crowdsourced, so freshness varies a lot by airline (we found a well-maintained major-carrier page updated within weeks, alongside a regional-carrier page still showing 2017 figures — check the "last update" date on whatever you read there).
Why this page leads with annual salary, not an hourly rate: airline pay isn't one flat number, and it isn't a fixed paycheck either. It's built from a base rate that rises with years of service, plus variable pay tied to how much you actually fly that month — duty pay, sector/trip pay, per diem for time away from base — sitting on top of a guaranteed minimum. Fly more, and those variable elements add up; a quieter month sits closer to the floor. What an airline publishes as a "pay scale" is the annual total a pilot flying a normal line can expect to land on across a full year, even though no single month's paycheck looks exactly like it — that's the number worth comparing airline to airline, and it's the one below.
Regional Airlines
Your first airline job after reaching ATP/R-ATP minimums (see the 1,500-Hour Pathway).
First Officer — starting annual salary
| Carrier | Starting salary | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | $90,000+ | — |
| Endeavor Air | ~$95,000 | — |
| Envoy Air | $88,000 | — |
| Republic Airways | $85,000 | +$50,000 sign-on |
| Piedmont Airlines | $82,000 | +$40,000 retention |
| PSA Airlines | $80,000 | — |
Bonuses are on top of the starting salary shown, not included in it — a Republic first officer's effective first-year total is closer to $135,000 once the sign-on bonus is counted. Many first officers reach six figures in base salary alone by their second year.
Captain
Regional captain base salary starts around $150,000–$180,000 in the first year of upgrade, rising to roughly $200,000–$230,000 for senior captains with more time in seat. Upgrade to captain typically happens in 18–24 months given current hiring conditions — much faster than at a major, which is part of why regional pay, while lower, comes with a quicker path to a captain's salary.
Major Airlines
Where a regional-to-major flow or direct hire eventually lands you — see Flow-Through Agreements Explained.
Annual salary range, First Officer to senior Captain
| Carrier | First Officer | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | $113,000 – $300,000 | $320,000 – $419,000 |
| American Airlines | $108,000 – $300,000 | $288,000 – $410,000 |
| Delta Air Lines | $106,000 – $222,000 | $313,000 – $410,000 |
| Southwest Airlines | $105,000 – $260,000 | $180,000 – $260,000 |
The First Officer column spans new-hire year one through the top of the FO pay scale before upgrading — it isn't one number, it's the full range you'd move through over several years. Southwest's captain ceiling is lower than the other three because it flies an all-narrowbody (Boeing 737) fleet, with no widebody captain premium to reach.
These figures reflect the 2023–2024 contract wave — new agreements at Delta (ALPA), United (UPA), American (APA), and Southwest (SWAPA) that substantially raised pay across the board. On top of base salary, total compensation (profit sharing, per diem, retirement contributions) commonly adds another 20–35% — for a senior Captain that alone can mean an extra $40,000–$60,000 a year.
Reading these numbers honestly
- These are base salary ranges. Profit sharing, per diem, retirement contributions, and overtime are on top and can move the real total meaningfully, especially at the majors.
- Regional pay looks smaller than major pay because it is — the trade-off is a faster captain upgrade and a shorter path to flying at all versus building hours another way.
- Sign-on and retention bonuses at regionals are common right now given hiring pressure, but aren't guaranteed and can change with hiring conditions.
- None of this is guaranteed income — it's what's currently advertised. Confirm directly with the airline or its pilot union before making a financial decision around it.