Whether you are currently undergoing pilot training in the USA or looking to build your aviation career, it would be interesting to know how much salary airline pilots get. Here, we have come up with a post that highlights the salary that commercial airline pilots usually get.
As more and more people fly and fewer individuals enter this sector of work, pilot earnings have been rising year by year. So, pilots usually recover the cost of pilot training in the USA quickly due to the attractive salary package they get after the completion of training.
An airline pilot profession might be a great career option fit for you, regardless of whether you’re still in high school trying to decide on a vocation or are thinking about changing careers later in life.
How do Commercial Airline Pilots get Paid?
Commercial pilots are compensated hourly for each flight. In other words, a pilot gets paid only when their aircraft is in operation.
The amount of flight hours multiplied by the pilot’s hourly rate yields their compensation. For instance, most first officers are paid $90 per hour in their first year of service. The pilot will get $8,100 if they fly 90 hours in that month. They will also be paid a per day.
Their compensation for time spent away from their base is called a per diem, and it’s designed to cover food and other travel-related costs. Typically, it falls within the $1.50 to $3 hourly range.
Therefore, if a pilot’s per day was $2.50 and they were away from the base for 15 hours, they would get $37.75. Airline pilots are only allowed 1,000 flight hours annually to prevent pilot fatigue.
The median yearly salary for airline pilots as of May 2021 was $202,180. However, there are many more factors to take into account than just the national average if you’re looking at aviation as a possible career option.
Factors That Affect the Salary of a Pilot
A commercial airline pilot’s pay varies based on numerous factors, just like in any other career. The contracts that airlines sign determine the wage rates that they will offer.
These fees could be determined by a variety of factors, such as the type of aircraft, years of experience, total flight hours, and, of course, the airline they work for.
1. Years of experience
Experience in flying is a crucial component in the hiring process for all commercial pilots, not only airline pilots. The hourly wage that pilots receive at the airlines is outlined in contracts.
These depend on how long they have worked for that company as a captain or first officer. The majority of these contracts increase the pilot’s pay or hourly rate for every year they work for that airline.
The amount of money offered to pilots may depend on their expertise in comparison to other commercial airline pilot candidates.
2. Type of aircraft
The hourly rates that airlines pay their pilots vary based on the type of aircraft they operate. Generally speaking, the hourly rate increases with aircraft size.
First officers flying for American Airlines with three years of experience will make $161 per hour in 2022, while first officers flying for the airline with three years of experience will make $198 per hour.
3. Flight hours
The salaries of pilots are paid on an hourly basis, precisely per flying hour, as was previously established.
This implies that pilots flying monthly schedules with longer flight periods should be paid more, according to logic.
Calculation of Pilot Salaries
It is challenging to provide a precise estimate of what an airline pilot will make due to the changing rate of pilot pay.
Every salary stated below is based on an assumption of 80 flying hours per month, or 900 hours annually.
Additionally, the salary indicated here does not include the per diem a pilot may receive throughout the year, which might total over $7,000.
The Conclusion
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If you want to know about pilot training in the USA for Indian students and fees, feel free to contact us.