How much do flight pilots make a year?

Flight pilots make between $28,000 and $160,000 a year, on average. The median annual wage for commercial pilots is $93,300 a year, while the median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers is, on average, $160,970.

Airline pilots are hourly employees and are paid by flight hours. Due to the constraints placed on pilots by the FAA, most fly about 85 hours per month. More work hours are 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 reimburses pilots for the food and beverage expenses they incur on the road. For this discussion, add in $7,000 per year to every annual salary to reflect per diem.

Factors such as years of flight experience and the company you work for impact how much a flight pilot can make.

Example of average flight pilot salary based on years of experience:

• United Airlines annual averages:

  • One year experience: $93,820 a year

  • Six years of experience: $282,400 a year

  • 12 years of experience: $295,660 a year

• Delta Air Lines

  • One year experience: $100,840 a year

  • Six years of experience: $285,460 a year

  • 12 years of experience: $298,720 a year

• American Airlines

  • One year experience: $98,800 a year

  • Six years of experience: $289,540 a year

  • 12 years of experience: $305,860 a year

• FedEx

  • One year experience: $86,560 a year

  • Six years of experience: $270,160 a year

  • 12 years of experience: $284,440 a year

• UPS

  • One year experience: $55,960 a year

  • Six years of experience: $317,080 a year

  • 12 years of experience: $331,360 a year

• Southwest Airlines