The cost to AA - Airline Pilot Central Forums (2024)

FAQs

How much does it cost to become a Pilot for American Airlines? ›

How Much Does it Cost to Become a Pilot? It costs $108,995 to become a pilot when starting with no previous experience or $86,995 when starting with a private pilot certificate. Both prices include the flight training and certification necessary to become a commercial pilot with flight instructor certificates.

American Airlines Pilot's Hourly Pay 2024

As you can see, first officers start with an hourly rate of $90, while captains begin at $314. The average pay for first officers is $213, whereas captains average $327 per hour. Notably, top earners in these roles can make up to $234 and $342 per hour, respectively.

How much does an American Airlines Pilot make? As of Aug 6, 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.

Average American Airlines Pilot yearly pay in the United States is approximately $174,547, which is 114% above the national average.

I suggest looking around to find a flying club. These clubs vary, but typically involve “group” ownership of an airplane that can be used for flight training. This is a great way to cut costs on flight training if there is a CFI in the club or a CFI will train you in the club airplane.

In the U.S., there are no FAA age limits for pilots except for commercial airline pilots employed by airlines certificated under 14 CFR Part 121. These airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach the age of 65. However, these pilots may stay on with a Part 121 carrier in some other role, such as flight engineer.

The average Delta Air Lines pilot earns $201,178 with top-earners making $526,000. American Airlines pilots earn an average salary of $145,995, with some pilots earning in excess of $700,000.

Charter pilots on the other hand, are one of the few pilot positions that are typically paid on a salary basis. Salary is based on the size of the jet flown as well as their years of service and a charter pilot's salary can rage anywhere from $80k-$200k.

Breakdown of FedEx Pilot Salary

The FedEx pilot salary varies significantly between the first officer and the captain. For a first officer, the salary in the first year is approximately $75,000. This figure increases to around $165,000 by the fifth year, and by the fifteenth year, it can reach up to $203,000.

How many hours a week do pilots work? ›

The typical work week for a commercial airline pilot is 50-60 hours. Of those hours, only 22 are typically spent flying. This can vary between airlines and types of aviation operations, with some pilots working fewer hours or more hours on the ground providing training, for example.

Many pilots praise Delta Air Lines for its high salaries and excellent benefits. At Southwest Airlines, pilots often mention the positive work environment and the company's dedication to employee satisfaction. At Singapore Airlines, pilots highlight the rigorous training and opportunities for career advancement.

Annual Pilot Salary Range

According to The May 2022 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary for commercial pilots is $103,910 per year. The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers is $211,790.

Delta Air Lines

First-year first officer: about $116 an hour on any aircraft type. 12-year first officer: between $220 and about $305 an hour, depending on the aircraft type. A first-year first officer flying 80 hours each month would make about $9,300 monthly before taxes and other earnings, or about $111,000 yearly.

Years of Experience. A major factor in answering the question, how much do airline pilots make is years of experience. Years of flying experience is a key factor in the hiring of all commercial pilots, not just airline pilots. At the airlines, contracts are in place that dictate the hourly rate pilots earn.

As an Airline Career Pilot Program graduate, you will meet the certification requirements in just twelve months starting with zero experience. With a flight instructor job, you can meet the airline minimum hiring requirements of 1,500 hours of flight time in two and a half years.

Will Airlines Pay for Flight School? The short answer is no, airlines will not pay for flight school. However, there are a couple of airlines that do operate their own flight schools and tuition there is generally cheaper than most flight schools.

In terms of salary and benefits, cargo pilots can earn a competitive income, especially as they gain more experience and fly larger aircraft. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for airline and commercial pilots, including cargo pilots, was $130,440 as of May 2020.

Major Airlines

The answer is no. Getting an aviation degree or going to an aviation college is not a requirement to become an airline pilot. In fact, major airlines accept any and all bachelor fields and aren't the least bit concerned with what you studied in college.