Summary
- Highest-paying countries for pilots surveyed by Yahoo! Finance are Switzerland, Luxembourg, and US.
- Other top-paying pilot countries include Denmark, Belgium, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Norway.
- Florida Flyers reports top-paying nations as Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, with average salaries between $200k-$300k.
The question of how much money commercial pilots make is complicated. This article will discuss pilot salary data provided by Yahoo! Finance and Florida Flyers. While the information varies, it is clear that pilots earn more in some regions of the world than others (and that US-based pilots are comparatively well paid). It is also clear that commercial pilots can earn more than military pilots (although there is also a lot of variation in those statistics, and numbers can change depending on what benefits are included).
Highest paying countries for pilots Per Yahoo! Finance
European and North American pilots received some of the highest salaries in the industry. Cargo pilots are generally paid slightly more than commercial passenger pilots. Switzerland is the country with the highest pay for pilots, with an average annual salary of $172,610.
Photo: Svitlana Hulko | Shutterstock
These are highly skilled pilots, particularly due to the country’s challenging terrain and frequent inclement weather conditions. Commercial plots in Luxembourg make the second-highest salary, with an average annual wage of $146,809. The country’s pilot training and licensing requirements are similar to most European and North American countries.
Pilots in the United States earn lucrative compensation thanks to its vast airline network, some of the largest airlines, and high competition. With the forecasted growth in passenger travel, airlines aim to retain skilled pilots. Pilots in the US earn an average annual salary of $132,569. The shortage of pilots in the country enables more potential for pilots. As such, airlines compete for experienced pilots with competitive salaries and benefits.
Photo: Etihad
The aviation sector in Denmark continues to expand, and the need for more pilots is growing. Skilled pilots in Denmark receive an average annual salary of $127,515. Denmark is among the best countries regarding work-life balance, quality of life, and overall career prospects and development. The aviation career, mainly piloting, remains a fulfilling choice for people in Denmark.
Belgium has a technologically advanced aviation infrastructure, including modern airports, state-of-the-art training facilities, and competitive pilot education and career opportunities. Pilots receive an average salary of $122,930 in one of the highest-paying countries. The demand for skilled aviation personnel continues to grow in Belgium.
Photo: Southwest Airlines
According to another March 2024 Yahoo! Finance report, pilot pay varies between US-based airlines. Within the United States, the five highest-paying airlines for pilots are Hawaiian Airlines at $217,000, Southwest Airlines at $259,000, United Airlines at $262,000, American Airlines at $265,000, and Delta Air Lines at $265,000. Allegiant Air is the lowest-paying of the 11 major US-based airlines, with an average pilot salary of $112,000, closely followed by Sun Country Airlines Holdings Inc. at $113,000. It is unclear why the pay difference is so large between the airlines.
![A United Airlines Boeing 787 just after landing.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/tempimageil5l7s-2.jpg)
Related
How Many Pilots Are Needed For A Transatlantic Flight?
Pilot requirements on a transatlantic flight depend on the length of the flight.
Other countries
The United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Norway follow the list from number six to ten, respectively. These countries have some of the largest economies and aviation infrastructures, so they offer competitive salaries to pilots. Countries in Europe also have a geographical advantage, being halfway between the Americas and the Asian subcontinent.
Photo: Yakobchuk Viacheslav | Shutterstock
A complete list of salaries, ranked by country, is shown in the table below.
Rank | Country | Average annual salary per Yahoo! Finance |
1 | Switzerland | $172,610 |
2 | Luxembourg | $146,809 |
3 | United States | $132,569 |
4 | Denmark | $127,515 |
5 | Belgium | $122,930 |
6 | United Kingdom | $121,028 |
7 | Canada | $112,169 |
8 | Germany | $111,419 |
9 | Australia | $110,314 |
10 | Norway | $109,352 |
11 | Netherlands | $109,056 |
12 | Austria | $108,685 |
13 | Ireland | $104,995 |
14 | Japan | $104,840 |
15 | United Arab Emirates | $104,699 |
Top pilot salaries per Florida Flyers
Average Annual Salary Per Florida Flyers | |
---|---|
Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia | $300,000-$200,000 |
Middle East: | $200,000 |
USA: | $174,870 |
Canada: | $110,000 |
Asia: | $100,000 |
Europe: | $92,000 |
South America: | $70,000 |
Africa: | $50,000 |
![A large cargo aircraft being loaded on an airport apron.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/shutterstock_1031173342_3_2.jpg)
Related
How Much Do Cargo Pilots Make?
Flying for a cargo airline might seem less glamorous, but it has some advantages over passenger airlines.
Determining how much pilots make in different countries and regions of the world is sometimes complicated, and different data sets can show very different tallies. Florida Flyers offers some rather different estimates for how much pilots earn in a year. Florida Flyers qualifies these numbers, noting, “These averages are just a starting point, as many factors can influence pilots’ salaries in each country.”
Citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida Flyers states that the average salary for a pilot in the USA is $174,870 per annum. It also states that the average for pilots in Asia (a massive and diverse region) is $100,000, while in the Middle East, it’s $200,000. In Europe, the average yearly pilot salary is given as 84,000 Euros or $91,700 USD. The continents with the lowest pilot salaries were South America, at $70,000, and Africa, at $50,000.
Photo: British Airways
Drilling down to specific countries, Florida Flyers offers a very different top-paying list of countries when compared to Yahoo! Finance. It says the top three countries in the world for pilot salaries are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, with salaries between $200,000 and $300,000 per year. Pilots flying for Delta and American Airlines can expect to pull in an average of $200,000 – considerably more than their Canadian counterparts across the border, earning around CAD $150,000 or $110,000 annually.