Airline Pilot Salaries

Mover, Gonky, and Wombat discuss a recent article covering airline pilot salaries.



*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.*
*Views presented are my own and do not represent the views of DoD or its Components.*

[yolkiandeji]

Wombat is trying his hardest to hide that he’s on half a million a year.

[watchfalcon]

Yes there are fewer widebody captains but also there are fewer 717/220 captains too. So let's assume the 12 year captain is flying narrowbody (737/320) at Delta. The 2023 rate for a NB 12 year captain was $341-343/hr. In 2024 it is $360. Assuming the 1000 hr multiplier (as an average!) that is $340, 000 for the average 12 year captain in 2023. That $279k was way low and we aren't even talking about profit sharing, per diem etc... Lets be honest most 12 year captains at delta are clearing $400k-500k+ easily with just a basic schedule/vacation and even a handful of hard-charging gamers have hit $1m.

[jeffr]

When did Wombat get elected to Congress?

[jakejacobs]

I retired in November last at 440 and started in summer of 1987 at 6850. Lost a few numbers (465) when we bought Air Cal and more adjustments with TWA and US Air. Bottom line is, Seniority, like airspeed, is life!

[brianrmc]

I feel very fortunate to have done ten years in the Marine Corps, 2165 Hornet hours over three back-to-back flying tours and then 28 years at United. It has been the best of both worlds.

[brisbare]

And we have exactly those retention issues in the Australian defence force too. Well articulated episode 👌

[aaronrunalls]

Here is the thing, you can take two pilots with the same exact skill set and have VERY different earnings over their total career earnings. Bankruptcy, lucky mergers, good times, bad times etc. Very important to remember when pilots switch companies for whatever reason, you start at the bottom...unlike other industry norms.

[dennishayes]

Wambat has got it figured out. I enjoyed what I did in the US Navy as an A-6 plane captain but I didn’t like the extra THINGS like barracks cleaning for 3 months before coming to the line shack to become a plane captain or flight line watches at midnight to 4 am.

[CanyonBlueCapt]

I read that article. It really didn't do a great job addressing things like line and trip density, rigs or open time rules, which are where we make a lot of our money. According to SWAPA, the average CornDog flies 108 credit TFP (Trips For Pay) a month, which converts to about 91 hours credit pay with an average of 16 days off. A lot of that is due to our trip density, trip and duty rigs and our open time rules. At that 108 average Joe credit, a 12 year Capt would gross a little over 34k/mo or 410k/yr which seems about in line with the Big 3. (Before B-Fund/Profit sharing etc obviously) Our 12 year FO pay would put it at 287k for that average.

[view]

Love this video . Even though it’s about pilots and income, the topics, points of concern, work & life balance are incredible.

This should be an expanded show for sure .

I can’t take vacation without being made to feel guilty or myself feeling guilty, and that’s bad planning on my end for staff .

Comparing military vs Delta pilots vs corporate airline captains, etc would also be extremely interesting.

Well done guys

[harescrambled]

Wombat is 100% correct. When you get treated so poorly for so long, money doesn't matter. There is a company I used to work for...off and on for 20 years. The amount of money it would take for me to go back there has not yet been printed. Don't know that it ever can be

[ThomisticAmericanFOX]

On the military side, the money isn't the core problem, and DoD will never be able to compete with the Airlines on salary or Seniority.

DoD take notes, listen to Wombat and Gonky. If you want to fix retention it starts with allowing military pilots to actually fly more, taking care of personnel especially during peacetime. Restore accountability, start rooting out crappy leaders, instead of always focusing your wrath at Junior Officers.

If you make the military experience even somewhat enjoyable, more people would stay in, if you make it miserable they will leave, especially when comparitively Airline life is so much better.

[zoneIronman]

20 years in the Air Force and yeah my peers are seniority 7, 000 while I sit at 15, 000. But I wouldn’t trade the last 10 years of my Air Force career for 10 years of airline flying. This airline career, while lucrative, serves no purpose other than to make money. I flew in every assignment for 20 years. Quality of life is there if you look for it. I also now enjoy working 5 days a month on reserve and not paying $1k/mo for health insurance.

[LtColDaddy]

I was over 500k my last few years at Southwest. That includes the B plan contribution and profit sharing. You have to know how to play the system. But it is a hustle culture environment.

The don’t be a douche thing you talked about in the past, it really effected getting hired back in the day. A lot of the active duty commanding officers didn’t make it past that benchmark.

[stuka]

100% agree with the the work/life balance airlines provide. I am still active military and cannot wait to discharge and start chasing seniority.
Military wonders why it can't retain people...

[crazypetec-fe]

Don't try to stop Wombat when he's on a roll. Lay down some more of that truth, bro.

[mixtisoreviews]

$279k/year at Delta. That sounds low. I know pilots at United making $300k

[blech]

I saw a commercial airliner take off and I didn’t make anything.

[airbaker]

It's all about the work rules and soft time. At my airline I bid reserve and shift my schedule to intentionally (try) not fly, but then make myself available to fly a trip or two a month on my days off at double time ($700+/hr). Easy to consistently credit 100+ hrs a month, but only block 30.

[boblivingston]

The airlines new contracts are a game changer in pay.So much better then flying in the military.Just retired after 38 years at a major.