How Much Does a American Airlines Pilot Make in 2025? Salary Breakdown & Insights

Wondering how much does a American Airlines pilot make? As of 2025, pilots earn around $352,000 annually on average.

This article will explore how factors like experience, aircraft type, and flight hours impact earnings.

Key Takeaways

• Average American Airlines pilot salary in 2025 is around $352,000 with large variances based on experience, aircraft and flight hours.

• First year pilots make around $111,000 a year, up from the previous year, American Airlines is sweetening the deal for new pilots.

• Captains at American Airlines make between $291,600 and $469,200 a year, with top earners over $700,000, showing the benefits of experience and aircraft type.

American Airlines Pilot Salary Overview

In 2025 the average annual salary for a pilot at American Airlines is around $352,000, but that’s not the same for all pilots at American Airlines.

There’s a big variation with some sources saying around $145,995 per year. The disparity in pay is due to many factors like the type of aircraft, hours flown and individual pilot experience.

At American Airlines pilot pay follows a complex system where hourly pay is a big deal. These rates are determined by seniority within the company and type of aircraft, which creates a sliding scale of pay that rewards experience and time.

So those who fly the bigger or more complex airplanes get more per hour than those who fly the smaller ones. This is especially true for pilots qualified to operate wide-body aircraft, as their expertise and the complexity of the planes they fly justify higher pay rates.

By combining all these factors into the pilot pay structure American Airlines ensures that they get paid accordingly to their skill set and for the immense responsibility that comes with piloting.

As we go into the details, you’ll see how these all come together to create a financially rewarding career path for pilots at American Airlines.

First-Year Pilot Pay at American Airlines

American Airlines has a great first year pilot pay for new pilots. They can earn around $116 per hour. Flying 80 hours per month, that’s around $111,000 per year a solid foundation for a new career.

By 2024 the first year pay for new pilots had increased to $113 due to the need for competitive pay in the industry.

If they fly 80 hours per month, they can expect to earn around $109,209. American Airlines is showing them the money from day one in their aviation career.

Experienced Pilot Earnings

As pilots gain experience at American Airlines, their pay goes up big time. The airline’s pay scale is designed to keep you around.

So, the longer you stay, the more you make each year. By your second year, first officers are making about $174 an hour a big jump from their first year.

Annual pay for experienced first officers varies widely and depends on both time and aircraft type.

At American Airlines, first officers can make between $110,000 and $230,000 a year based on these factors and those with 12 years with the airline and flying wide-body jets can make close to $293,000 a year.

A 12-year first officer at American Airlines could make between $220 and $305 an hour a example of how the pay scales are aligned with greater experience and more responsibility on the aircraft.

This is how the pay incentives are structured to encourage pilots to advance within the airline industry towards captaincy where even more money and job satisfaction await.

American Airline Captain Salary

Being an American Airlines captain comes with a great pay package. Captains can earn between $291,600 and $469,200 per year depending on the number of hours flown and type of aircraft operated. That’s a lot of money to be a captain at this airline.

If you have a lot of experience and flying bigger aircraft, you can earn over $700,000 a year. Specifically, captains flying wide body planes for 12 years can earn around $430,000 a year that’s a lot of money.

The initial hourly pay for an American Airlines captain is around $324 and increases significantly with time served and experience in flight operations.

By their 12th year flying an airplane depending on the model they fly captains can earn up to around $460 per hour.

These rates are a lot of money considering the training and responsibilities that come with being a captain at one of the world’s biggest airlines.

Additional Compensation: Bonuses and Profit Sharing

To their fundamental pay, pilots at American Airlines stand to gain additional income through various bonuses and profit sharing. These extra earnings come from milestone achievements, bonuses tied to performance, and other incentive programs that can markedly increase a pilot’s total take-home pay.

The allure of profit sharing for American Airlines pilots lies in receiving a share of the company’s profit often amounting to 5% of pre tax earnings. This scheme has the potential to significantly augment a pilot’s overall financial compensation, providing an even more attractive monetary benefit.

American Airlines Pilot Benefits Package

In addition to their base pay, American Airlines pilots get bonuses and profit sharing. These extra dollars come from milestone pay, performance bonuses and other incentives that can add a lot to a pilot’s overall take home pay.

The profit sharing for American Airlines pilots is the chance to get a share of the company’s profits often 5% of pre tax earnings. This can really add to a pilot’s total compensation package and make it even more attractive.

Additionally, the Allied Pilots Association plays a significant role in ensuring these benefits are negotiated and secured for pilots, making their compensation package highly competitive in the industry.

American Airlines Pilot Bases

American Airlines pilots are based in major cities like Charlotte (CLT), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), and New York (JFK). These are the primary hubs where all the flights operate and are managed.

Some bases like Philadelphia (PHL) and Charlotte (CLT) have more aircraft and more types of flying. This attracts pilots who want variety in their flying.

The base a pilot is based at can impact their schedule and also their career path with different types of aviation responsibilities.

Career Path to Becoming an American Airlines Pilot

To become a pilot at American Airlines you have to go through intense flight training and get the required licenses and ratings.

The journey starts with getting a private pilot license. Then budding pilots accumulate hours by being a certified flight instructor, which gives them flying experience and a way to earn a living.

Candidates are expected to have at least 1,500 hours of total time before they can be hired by American Airlines. New pilots usually come from regional airlines like Envoy, Piedmont and PSA since having regional airline experience is a big plus.

By following this established path into the industry pilots have the skills and readiness to fly for a major airline like American Airlines.

How to Apply for an American Airlines Pilot Job

To start the application process for a pilot job at American Airlines, it’s common to first get experience by flying for regional airlines.

If you’re interested in doing so, keep an eye out for job openings and apply when you see positions that match your qualifications.

To be considered for these jobs, you’ll need to submit a resume that highlights your flight hours, and relevant certifications and previous experience in the field.

Additionally, pilots must ensure compliance with appropriate airport authority regulations, which might include security checks and access permissions for restricted airport areas.

You may have to complete multiple interviews and assessments to prove your capabilities and fit for the job. Following these steps will help you get a shot at the pilot job you want at American Airlines.

American Airlines Fleet

By June 2024 American Airlines will have an impressive fleet of mainline Airbus and Boeing aircraft. With 970 mainline aircraft to choose from, they have one of the largest and most diverse fleets in the world.

American Airlines focuses on refreshing their fleet with new planes. This means commercial airline pilots get access to the latest technology and tools.

The many aircraft types available gives pilots the opportunity to fly different aircraft models and grow professionally and be more satisfied in their work.

Industry Comparison: American Airlines vs. Other Major Airlines

Comparing American Airlines to other major carriers like United and Delta it’s clear American has competitive pay.

At United a new hire makes around $93 an hour and that’s the same as American and Delta. Captains at United flying international make over $400,000 a year with bonuses and overtime.

Delta Air Lines pay scale is impressive too. New pilots start at around $92 an hour and captains can make up to $354 an hour. There has been a big increase in pilot pay recently due to high demand and shortages in the profession.

In addition, how much does a JetBlue pilot make is also a point of interest. JetBlue pilots typically earn between $125,000 and $200,000 annually, depending on their experience and the type of aircraft they fly.

Expect this trend to continue as projections show a 24,000-pilot shortage by 2026 – that means sustained high demand and robust pay competition in the industry.

In short, in this hyper competitive market American Airlines stands out with great pay and benefits and opportunities for advancement for their airline pilots.

What Are the Hiring Requirements for American Airlines Pilots?

To become an American Airlines pilot, you must meet several tough requirements. You must be 23 years old or older and have the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) multi-engine rating.

You must have a First-Class Medical Certificate, pass an FAA background check and have an FCC Restricted Radio Telephone Operator license.

Additionally, pilots may also need to obtain customs security badges for accessing restricted airport areas, ensuring compliance with airport security protocols.

English language proficiency is a must since you will be expected to speak English fluently and verbally.

By meeting these requirements, you are only allowing those who have proven they can handle the duties and challenges of flying for a major airline to be a certified flight instructor.

Training Programs for American Airlines Pilots

American Airlines has multiple training programs, including a flight school, to get aspiring pilots ready for their career. The Cadet Academy stands out among these programs and is for those with no previous aviation experience who want to become a pilot.

This academy offers a structured path to become a pilot in as little as 1 year. It provides extensive training and support throughout the process to set you up for success with American Airlines.

How Many Pilots Work for American Airlines?

American Airlines has around 15,000 pilots which is key to its large flight schedule and getting travelers to their destination safely and on time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do 777 pilots make a year?

777 pilot salary ranges from $120,000 to $250,000 a year depending on experience and hours flown. That makes them some of the highest paid in the industry.

How much does a 747 pilot make a year?

A 747 Captain makes $375,000 to $400,000 a year and a First Officer makes around 65% of the captain’s salary. So, salaries vary widely but a 747 pilot in the US makes around $130,916 a year.

How much does an American Airlines pilot make starting out?

A pilot beginning their career with American Airlines as a First Officer will typically receive an annual salary around $110,000. This compensation includes competitive benefits like health insurance and retirement plans.

How much does an American Airlines pilot make in their first year?

American Airlines pilots can expect to earn approximately $111,000 in their first year, given an hourly rate of $116 for around 80 flight hours each month. This competitive salary reflects the airline’s investment in its pilots.