Pay and Benefits

Pay and Benefits

Estimated Annual Rates on Regional Airline Equipment as of August 2008

Captain Pay Rates

These rates are estimated average regional pilot salaries for captains of ALPA carriers based on five years of service and an estimated annual hours of 1,090, which includes nominal overtime, vacation and training hours. These rates are gross annual income with no deductions for taxes, healthcare or other benefits. The averages are based on regional jet aircraft with a capacity of up to 59 seats, for example, CRJ 200s and ERJ 145s. This assumes on circumstances that would prevent average pilot schedules from being built above the minimum guarantee average of 75 hours/month.

Hourly wage for captain of five years longevity - $59.92
Estimated annual salary for captain of five years longevity - $65,311
Hourly wage of five years longevity - $64.98 (not including turboprops)
Estimated annual salary of five years longevity - $70,828

First Officer Pay Rates

These rates are estimated average regional pilot salaries for first officers of ALPA carriers based on one year of service and an estimated annual hours of 900, which represents the reverse minimum guarantee average of 75 hours/month. These rates are gross annual income with no deductions for taxes, healthcare or other benefits. The averages are based on regional jet aircraft with a capacity of up to 59 seats, for example, CRJ 200s and ERJ 145s.

Hourly wage - $22.07
Estimated annual salary - $19,862
Hourly wage - $22.85 (not including turboprops)
Estimated annual salary - $20,567

The ALPA carriers used to assemble this data include:

Air Wisconsin Q American Eagle Q Atlantic Southeast Q CommutAir Q Comair Q ExpressJet Q Island Air Q Mesa Air Group Q Mesaba Airlines Q Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. Q PSA Airlines, Inc. Q Trans States

Q Captain
Commands the aircraft and is responsible for the safety of his or her passengers, crew, and cargo. Requires an air transport pilot (ATP) certificate (U.S.) or airline transport pilot license (Canada).
• The average ALPA legacy captain is 52 years old with 21 years of service and earns about $155,000 annually.
• The average ALPA non-legacy captain is 49 years old with 16 years of service and earns about $144,000 annually.
• The average ALPA regional captain is 40 years old with 10 years of service and earns about $70,000 annually.
• The average ALPA cargo captain is 51 years old with 17 years of service and earns about $200,000 annually.

Salaries for captains, regardless of union affiliation*, may range from:
• $113,000 up to $203,000 for legacy carriers,
• $65,000 up to $197,000 for non-legacy carriers,
• $27,000 up to $121,000 for regionals,
• $61,000 up to $239,000 for cargos,
depending on years of experience and the size of aircraft flown.

(*Includes ALPA, non-ALPA, and nonunion rates)

Q First Officer
Assists or relieves the captain. Requires a commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating in the United States; in Canada, only a commercial license is required.
• The average ALPA legacy first officer is 45 years old with 12 years of service and a yearly salary of about $105,000.
• The average ALPA non-legacy first officer is 42 years old with 6 years of service and a yearly salary of about $83,000.
• The average ALPA regional first officer is 32 years old with 3 years of service and a yearly salary of about $33,000.
• The average ALPA cargo first officer is 45 years old with 7 years of service and a yearly salary of about $121,000.

Salaries for first officers, regardless of union affiliation*, may range from:
• $25,000 to $138,000 for legacy carriers,
• $25,000 to $131,000 for non-legacy carriers,
• $16,000 to $49,000 for regionals,
• $33,000 to $159,000 for cargos,
depending on the size of the aircraft flown.

(*Includes ALPA, non-ALPA, and nonunion rates)

Q Second Officer/Flight Engineer
Though their numbers continue to dwindle dramatically, some airliners in use in the airline industry require a third cockpit crew professional to assist in flight operations and ensure that the airplane’s mechanical and electronic devices and systems operate properly.

Requires a flight engineer’s certificate from the FAA; Transport Canada requires either a second officer or flight engineer license. Although a second officer does not fly the aircraft, U.S. airlines require second officers to have a valid pilot’s certificate and to maintain proficiency as a pilot. The second officer position is usually the entry-level job at airlines operating aircraft that require three-cockpit-crew aircrafts.

Salaries range from $30,000 to $137,000. Overall, the average ALPA second officer is 46 years old with 7 years of service and earns a yearly salary of about $100,000.

Legacy = United (UAL), Delta (DAL), Continental (CAL), US Airways (AAA), Northwest (NWA)
Non-legacy = America West (AWA), Alaska (ALA), Hawaiian (HAL), Aloha (ALO), Champion Air (CHA), Spirit (SPA), etc.
Cargo = FedEx (FDX), Gemini Air Cargo (GEM), Polar Air Cargo (PAC), Atlas Air, Inc. (AAI), ASTAR Air Cargo (DHL), etc.
Regionals = Air Wisconsin (ARW), Comair (CMR), Atlantic Southeast (ASA), American Eagle (EGL), Trans States (TSA), etc.