Annual base pay by airline and seniority. Figures are indicative scales in each carrier's payroll currency.
| Airline | Region | FO Year 1 ▼ | FO Year 5 ▼ | Senior Captain ▼ | Captain pay vs top payer |
|---|
⚠ Demo data, indicative only. Real-world pay varies with sector pay, per diems, allowances, profit share and tax treatment — always verify against the airline's current published scales or union agreement.
US majors lead on raw numbers post-2023 contracts — but factor in training pace, commute and cost of living before comparing.
Gulf packages look smaller on paper but include housing, schooling allowances and zero income tax — often beating European take-home.
The FO-to-captain jump is the single biggest pay event of your career. Airlines with fast upgrades (Wizz, Ryanair) can out-earn slower legacy paths.