Scott Kirby received US$32.3 million in total compensation for the 2025 financial year, making him the highest-paid airline CEO in the United States.
US Airline CEO Salary
Given Emirates’ strong profitability and scale, Clark remains among the highest-paid airline executives outside the United States.
Nasaruddin Bakar, often known internally as Captain Nasa, took over as President and Group CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group effective 1 February 2026.
As CEO of one of the world’s most profitable airlines, Ed Bastian remains among the highest-paid executives in global aviation.
Here is a closer look at who Tony Fernandes is, and how much he earns heading AirAsia in 2026.
As a result, CEO compensation in aviation is heavily performance-linked, often volatile, and sometimes controversial.
Below is a closer look at Bob Jordan, his professional background, and his salary package as of 2025.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian’s fixed base salary is roughly US$991,000 per year, which forms just a small portion of his overall pay package.
United Airlines’ executive pay structure is performance-based and heavily tied to shareholder return, profitability, and long-term growth.
In 2024, the average salary of a pilot at Chicago-based United Airlines (UA) is approximately $248,118 per year.