How much do pilots make for delta

Commercial Airline Pilot Salary How Much do Airline Pilots Make?

Flying is a rewarding career, both financially and in terms of job satisfaction. Pilots undertake intensive training to develop a highly unique skill set. As a result, commercial pilots are paid well.

According to The Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary for commercial pilots is $99,640 per year, which was the the median annual wage in May 2021. The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers is $202,180. In addition to annual earnings, pilots take part in company health, life and disability insurance, and retirement plans. In many cases, these plans exceed what employees in other fields receive.

Factors Affecting Airline Pilot Salaries

Airline pilot salary varies and can range anywhere from $28,000 per year to several hundred thousand per year depending on:

  • Airline
  • Experience Level (Pilot Seniority)
  • Regional versus Major Airlines
  • Aircraft Flown

Airlines are Offering Huge Pay Raises to Pilots: To alleviate a spike in demand post-pandemic coupled with a major labor shortage, airlines are now offering dramatic pay increases to pilots in order to retain and attract new talent.

Pilot Hiring Outlook »

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Envoy Air — The Fastest Path to American Airlines Now Offering $180k in Bonuses

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What Can Airline Pilots Plan to Actually Earn? How Much Airline Pilots Make Per Year

At a Glance Airline Pilot Pay Overview

Median Airline Pilot Salary$202,180
Hour Flown Per Month85 Hours
Factors Affecting PayExperience, Airline, Aircraft

Airline pilots are hourly employees and are paid by flight hour. Due to the constraints placed on pilots by the FAA, most fly about 85 hours per month. There are more work hours involved, such as preflight planning, but time in the cockpit, and thus the pay, is usually about 85 hours monthly. In addition to flight time, pilots are also paid per diem, which serves to reimburse pilots for the food and beverage expenses that they incur on the road. For this discussion, add in $7,000 per year to every annual salary to reflect per diem.

The table below shows which airline pays pilots the most.

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Major Airline Pilots Earn the Highest Salary Regional Airlines versus Major Airlines

In the May 2020 report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the range of salaries for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers from less than $80,920 a year, to the highest 10 percent earning more than $208,000. However, these numbers only give us a glimpse of how much a pilot earns and how those earnings change over a career.

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Regional Airlines

Airlines are generally divided into two categories: regional airlines and major airlines. While some pilots choose to stay at the regionals, most use them as a stepping stone to the major airlines. Examples of regional airlines are Envoy Air, Mesa Airlines, SkyWest, and Republic.

  • Regional airlines typically fly under the banner of a major airline but are not actually part of that airline; an example of this is CommuteAir operating under the name “United Express®.”
  • Regional airlines usually fly smaller jets ranging from 50 to 75 passengers.
  • Regional airlines are where most civilian pilots get their first airline job.
  • Pay at the regional airlines is typically less than at the major airlines.

Learn more about how much airline pilots make starting out »

Major Airlines

Major airlines consist of well-known names, such as American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines®, and the cargo carriers FedEx and UPS. Pilots work many years to get hired by a major airline and rarely leave one to work at another. Pilots at the major airlines enjoy substantial salaries and good benefits.

New hire pilots at Delta Air Lines have the potential to earn $100,840 their first year of employment. From there the pay can vary depending upon what aircraft the pilot flies, but most sixth-year first officers at Delta are earning at least $187,540. While a twelfth-year first officer can easily make more than $204,880 a year if they pick up a few extra hours here and there.

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The payoff in aviation comes when one becomes a captain for a major airline.

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Commercial Airline Pilot — A Nine Million Dollar Career

With union protections and seniority system, job security and guaranteed earnings, advancement at the established airlines are excellent. Established airline pilots are paid very well, with the annual earnings of senior captains around $400,000, some pilots can expect a nine million dollar career in total earnings, illustrated below according to the typical career progression.

Commercial Pilot Salary Chart Over a Pilot's Career

*Graph based on SkyWest Airlines and Delta Air Lines pay scales and are for illustration purposes, not promises of future earnings.

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Airline Pilot Annual Salary Calculator Calculate Hourly Rates into Annual Pay

Using the formula of 85 hours per month, $7,000 annual per diem, and the hourly pay rates, captains at Envoy Air earn between $84,520 their first year to $86,620 their fourth year. While a senior captain has the potential to earn $97,760 their eighth year to $104,920 in their twelfth year.

The hourly pay for airline pilots is based on their seniority with the company and typically increases after each year the pilot has worked for the airline. Pilots start as a first officer with first year pay, then climb in pay rates each subsequent year with the company. Once a pilot upgrades to captain, they begin earning the captain pay for the year they upgrade. For example, if a pilot upgrades to captain during their fourth year with the company, they will earn year four captain pay.

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Airline Pilot Salary — How much do pilots make a hour, calculate the hourly rate to find out how much pilots make a year.

Airline Pilot Annual Salary Calculator
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Commercial Airline Pilot Career Seniority & What it Means to You

Seniority rules when you are an airline pilot. Seniority decides which monthly schedule you will fly, when you will take vacation, which aircraft you will fly, which crew base you will be working in and how soon it will take you to upgrade from first officer to captain. How soon you upgrade from first officer to captain will affect how much you will earn and when you can move up to a major airline.

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How do I become a pilot for American Airlines?

Accelerated pilot cadet program, offering a proven path to a pilot career at American Airlines.

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No, you don't need a college degree to become a pilot. Learn more about what the college education requirements are to become an airline pilot.

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It takes two months to become a private pilot. In two years, you can become a commercial airline pilot. Learn how you can become a pilot with ATP Flight School.

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How long does it take to become a commercial airline pilot?

Enroll in accelerated flight training with ATP and go from zero experience to a commercial airline pilot, with 1500 hours, in two years. Learn how you can become an airline pilot with ATP Flight School.

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Airlines operate on a seniority-based system. Learn what this means for your career and why getting to the airlines first is important.

Airline seniority explained »

What is a regional airline pilot's salary?

The shortage of pilots qualified to fly for the airlines is causing regional airlines to offer signing bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and other incentives. Learn more about how much you will earn as a pilot.

Compare First-Year Pay at Each Regional Airline »

How much does it cost to become a commercial pilot?

ATP provides up-front, fixed-cost pricing in a way that differentiates us from most other flight schools and academies. With over 30 years of experience, ATP designs our flight training programs with enough flight time for the vast majority of students to be successful.

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Complete list of aviation courses, flight training, and career pilot programs offered by ATP Flight School.

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The student pilot certificate is a requirement in order to fly a powered aircraft by yourself, known as “soloing” in aviation.

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How to Earn Your ATP Certificate? »

How much do airline pilots make?

Flying is a rewarding career, both financially and in terms of job satisfaction. Pilots undertake intensive training to develop a highly unique skill set. As a result, commercial pilots are paid well.

What is a commercial pilot’s salary? »

What is the current airline pilot hiring outlook?

Commercial airline pilot job career information; airline pilot hiring, pilot salary, retirement numbers, military pilot population reduction and the overall upcoming pilot shortage discussion.

What is the current airline pilot hiring outlook? »

What are the effects of COVID-19 on the airline industry?

Long-term pilot career outlook in response to COVID-19, including long term hiring trends, projections, retirements, and the effects of postponing flight training.

What are the effects of COVID-19 on the airline industry? »

Update March, 2022

How much do Delta pilots make per hour?

The estimated total pay for a Airline Pilot at Delta Air Lines is $53 per hour. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $42 per hour.

How much do Delta 747 pilots make?

Captain Pay Rates (yearly).

How much does a Captain pilot make for Delta?

Average Delta Captain yearly pay in the United States is approximately $324,043, which is 379% above the national average.

What airline pay most to pilots?

Five highest-paying airlines in the world for pilots.
Spirit Airlines. Spirit Airlines is a major American ultra-low-cost carrier operating throughout the US, Caribbean, and Latin America. ... .
Frontier Airlines. ... .
American Airways. ... .
Sun Country Airlines. ... .
Hawaiian Airlines..