The job of airline pilot is the dream of many children. But how can you become a pilot and how much would be your expected salary?
Usually people choose an airline pilot career for many different reasons. First and most important reason is their love of flying, who wouldn’t enjoy the adventure of seeing the world?
Like the captain of a boat, the pilot, who flies an airplane, finds himself in control of a device that can transport either passengers or goods, and sometimes even both. This is a hard technical job that needs a lot of requirements to be fulfilled in order to ensure the safety of people on board. Due to the growth of tourism and air traffic, the demand for airline pilots seems to be constantly increasing.
This is why the way to become a pilot is particularly demanding, and airlines are increasingly looking for highly qualified profiles. But despite the difficult requirements, it is worth the effort. Because with the growing demand for commercial airline pilots worldwide, airline pilots’ salaries are an excellent reason to consider an aviation career.
Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot, and you were concerned about how much pilots are usually paid? 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 2021 between $56,000 and $700,000 in the United States, it is important to understand how pilot salaries are calculated.
Airline pilot Salary: The determining criteria for the salary of an airline pilot
From a commercial point of view, an airline pilot is an employee of an airline. And if there are a lot of airlines, then naturally there will be a lot of salary scales, depending on which company is going to hire the pilot. The salary varies according to the flights made, and whether the flights are short, medium or long-haul.
Finally, the seniority and the level of experience of a pilot determine his remuneration. It should be noted that the salary of a pilot at the beginning of his career is generally around 2,600 and 3,000 Euros. Then he has the status of a co-pilot and is often sent on short-term national flights.
Airline pilot Salary : How much is the average salary of an airline pilot worldwide?
As you may have understood, the remuneration that an airplane pilot receives, depends on many criteria which vary according to his age and his level of experience. However, on average in France, an airline pilot with a few years of experience earns between 7,000 and 10,000 € gross per month. A very experienced, highly qualified pilot and at the end of his career, can earn a salary of between €15,000 and €30,000 gross monthly.
Beyond the responsibility that such a job requires, it is a safe bet that these remunerations take into account the disadvantages associated with it.
Indeed, it is a job that requires a lot of skills and time. Pilots may be called upon to fly any day of the year, including weekends and national holidays.
Read also : The way to become a pilot : is it difficult
Airline pilot Salary :Is the training so expensive compared with the expected salary?
If training is excessively expensive as we have pointed out above, it is because the remuneration is so attractive. Indeed, the average salary of an airline pilot is around 100,000 Euros per year, so we are talking about a monthly salary of 8000 Euros gross. This salary is a standard amount; other criteria may be added during the calculation. Some of these criteria are for example the number of years of experience, the company that employs you, the demand for the aviation sector, and the type of aircraft.
A prestigious company can employ a less experienced pilot and pay him a higher salary. Conversely, a less prestigious company can hire a super experienced pilot with a low salary. So the prestige of the airline counts for a lot.
For example, United Airlines pilots earn an average of $205,000. Similarly, Southwest Airlines pilots can earn an average salary of $222,000 annually. However, some Southwest pilots can earn as much as $549,000 depending on their years of experience, credentials and job title.
Among the top earners are the pilots of Delta Airlines, as they earn a salary ranging from $192,000 to $526,000. American Airlines pilots earn a bit less, with an average salary of $118,000, but the salary of some senior super-experienced pilots can reach $700,000 annually.
Due to the high demand, pilot salaries, continue to increase. Even international airlines pay well. For instance, Qatar pilots’ average salary ranges from $173,000 to $187,000 annually. Moreover, China Southern Airlines pays its pilots at $228,000 as a start salary per year. The average Lufthansa pilot earns about $102,000 annually.
A pilot job is therefore one of the 25 highest paid occupations in the USA and in the whole world.