Pilot salary: what pilots earn at each career stage
Airline pilots are among the best paid workers in the US, but pay depends heavily on the kind of flying and where you are in your career. Here is what the numbers look like in 2026.
Updated October 2026
The short answer
| Job | Typical pay |
|---|---|
| Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers | $226,600 median per year (BLS, May 2024) |
| Commercial pilots (charter, cargo feeder, tours, ag, corporate) | $122,670 median per year (BLS, May 2024) |
| Regional airline first officer, year one | About $90 to $105 per flight hour in 2026, often $80,000 to $110,000 in the first year with guarantees and bonuses |
The BLS median for airline pilots is close to the top of what the survey reports, because many senior airline captains earn well above the reporting cap. Senior captains at major airlines commonly earn several hundred thousand dollars a year.
How pilot pay works
- Paid by the flight hour. Airline pilots earn an hourly rate for time the aircraft is moving, not for every hour at work.
- Monthly guarantee. Most airlines guarantee a minimum number of paid hours each month, often around 75, so pay is predictable even when flying is light.
- Seniority drives everything. Your hourly rate rises every year with the company, and moving from first officer to captain is the biggest single jump.
- Extras. Per diem for time away from base, profit sharing, retirement contributions and, at regionals, signing and retention bonuses that have reached tens of thousands of dollars.
Pay at each career stage
1. Flight instructor (building hours)
Most new commercial pilots teach as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) to build toward the 1,500 hours an airline job requires. CFIs are usually paid per hour of instruction, and pay varies widely by school and region. This is the lowest paid stage, but it is temporary and every hour counts toward your airline minimums.
2. Regional airline first officer
Regional airlines fly smaller jets for the major carriers. In 2026, first year first officers earn roughly $90 to $105 per flight hour depending on the airline. With a typical 75 hour guarantee, $100 per hour works out to about $90,000 a year before per diem and bonuses.
3. Regional captain
Upgrading to captain at a regional brings a large raise and the command experience major airlines look for.
4. Major airline first officer and captain
Pilots usually move to a major airline after building turbine and captain time. Pay starts over at the bottom of the new seniority list, then climbs year by year. This stage is where the six figure medians above come from.
What you need to start earning
To be paid as a pilot you need at least a commercial pilot certificate, and to fly for an airline you need an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which normally requires 1,500 hours of flight time (less for some military pilots and aviation degree graduates). Our guide on how to become a pilot walks through every step, cost and timeline.
The first step for almost everyone is the FAA private pilot written test. You can try free practice questions here.