Fighter pilot vs airline pilot pay in 2026: a global salary breakdown covering the US, Europe, Japan, and China.
United Airlines Pilot Salary
United Airlines Captain Chresten Wilson becomes the first woman to hold the airline’s top pilot seniority position, marking a historic milestone for women in aviation.
Edinburgh marked a meaningful milestone for United Airlines (UA) this December as one of its most experienced long-haul captains completed his final round-trip before retirement.
United Airlines is offering one of the most lucrative pilot compensation frameworks in the industry.
First officers (Jr Pilots) at Southwest Airlines earn approximately US$106,000 per year at entry level and may rise to around US$229,000 per year with experience.
In 2024, the average salary of a pilot at Chicago-based United Airlines (UA) is approximately $248,118 per year.
A heartwarming milestone unfolded aboard a United Airlines (UA) flight when Captain Tom M. was joined in the cockpit by his son, Bradley, serving as First Officer on their first flight together.
Southwest Airlines (WN) pays a competitive salary to their Pilots for First Officers pay starts from $127,680 and goes up to $240,960 annually and for Captains from $320,640 to $343,680.
SkyWest Airlines offers its pilots benefits that are in line with the American aviation industry.
FedEx Airlines (FX) pays industry-competitive salaries and offers other benefits to their Pilots including First Officers their Pay starts from $77,760 and goes up to $197,760 annually, their hourly Pay starts from $81/Hour for flying Boeing 737, and for Captains it ranges from $224,640 to $268,800 and Hourly Pay starts from $234/hour.