World's Highest Paying Airlines

Trip7

Trip7

Well-Known Member
Ok let's start talking about happy stuff. Just wanted to gather info on the highest paying airlines. I know here in the US its
1. Fedex
2. UPS
3. Southwest

I know the above airlines pay quite well. UPS pilots make over 100k after probation. 149 an hr 2nd yr pay in 2012. I think the legacies will at least close to the cargo airlines payscales in upcoming neogiations.

Hopefully others can chime in with info on worldwide airlines such as Emirates, ANA, Cathy Pacific, Singapore, JAL, Ethiad, etc.
 
Eh...think that you forgot to put Delta in either the #3 or #4 slot! They are after all the highest paid legacy currently, even after concessions!

Pre concessions their 737 rate was greater than even Southwest's!
 
Someone was telling me in the JAA/European Aviation Forum that a new hire at BMI starts at US$80k! And that's direct into slot from academy.
Also factor in the wages at a lot of foreign carriers such as CX, they may be lower in dollar amounts, but $50k will go really far in a lot of Asia, and that's starting!
 
mhcasey said:
I think AA is higher than SW as well, but I'm not totally sure of that...
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SWA starts at almost $20 more an hour.
 
Southwest's pay rates are the highest in the industry only because others rate (AA, UAL, DAL, etc...) fell below that level. US Air 737 Captains topped out at $227 an hour. Delta 777 captains topped out at $320 an hour. United 747 captains were the highest paid of anyone. Southwest's rates are not high because of Southwest. They are high because the others rates have sunk to their level.

Frontier pilots obviously did not realize that when they agreed to a minor pay cut for their last contract. "Oh, we are among the highest paid narrowbody operator in the industry." No!!! You are only the highest paid because others sunk below your level. Not because you raised the bar!
 
aerospacepilot said:
Southwest's pay rates are the highest in the industry only because others rate (AA, UAL, DAL, etc...) fell below that level. US Air 737 Captains topped out at $227 an hour. Delta 777 captains topped out at $320 an hour. United 747 captains were the highest paid of anyone. Southwest's rates are not high because of Southwest. They are high because the others rates have sunk to their level.

Frontier pilots obviously did not realize that when they agreed to a minor pay cut for their last contract. "Oh, we are among the highest paid narrowbody operator in the industry." No!!! You are only the highest paid because others sunk below your level. Not because you raised the bar!
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Now those same Delta 777 captains top out at a paltry $188 an hour! :(
 
They will RISE again! I hope...

Anybody have the old payscales? I can't seem to find any.
 
It's hard to compare airline pay in other countries. Places like Cathay and Emirates seemingly pay less money, but once the low/no taxes and free housing are factored in, it's just as good if not better than most US airlines.
 
777forever said:
They will RISE again! I hope...

Anybody have the old payscales? I can't seem to find any.
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I was wondering about that too. I know that the highest paid pilots of the late 90s or 00s pulled in around $350k, correct?

On that note, who do you think are the highest paid pilots nowadays not just in the airline group. Personally, I think it's those contract pilots. Although I am uninformed, it seems like if you played the field right, you could always find some rich talk show host or something who needed your services for their private jet and was willing to pay a fair amount for them. Add it all up and it seems like you could make money similar or better to a legacy pilot in the late 90s early 00s. But then again I'm uninformed on the contract pilot world.
 
Maximillian_Jenius said:
Eh...think that you forgot to put Delta in either the #3 or #4 slot! They are after all the highest paid legacy currently, even after concessions!

Pre concessions their 737 rate was greater than even Southwest's!
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I didn't put anyone after SW because its quite a drop in pay after that.

iwareboy said:
It's hard to compare airline pay in other countries. Places like Cathay and Emirates seemingly pay less money, but once the low/no taxes and free housing are factored in, it's just as good if not better than most US airlines.
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Very true. I've heard that Cathy's one of the best airline pilot jobs out there. Its also exceptionally hard to get it seems.
 
meritflyer said:
Hate to tell you but the days of the $300K pilot are gone for good, IMO.
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What about the UPS and Fedex guys? I think they might reach that level. 9-11 or no 9-11 type event, people will always need to ship their stuff. And management can always dump the extra fuel costs on the customers.
 
aerospacepilot said:
Southwest's pay rates are the highest in the industry only because others rate (AA, UAL, DAL, etc...) fell below that level. .... Southwest's rates are not high because of Southwest. They are high because the others rates have sunk to their level.
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Strictly comparing rates doesn't tell the whole story. I'm willing to bet that SWA still pays their pilots less per actual hour flown than AA, UAL, DAL, etc. Although the gap has probably grown uncomfortably close from the perspective of SWA management their pilots are so much more productive than typical legacy pilots that it makes up the difference.
 
777forever said:
What about the UPS and Fedex guys? I think they might reach that level. 9-11 or no 9-11 type event, people will always need to ship their stuff. And management can always dump the extra fuel costs on the customers.
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That is a pretty amazing statement. I'm curious if you ever have anything shipped to you and whether you think there is no upper limit to what you'd pay for shipping? Most businesses have to control costs, they can't simply pass every expense increase on to customers without seeing a decrease in demand for their services.

The major (UPS, FedEx) freight pilots have the current luxury of controlling their own pilot supply and working at companies that aren't in financial distress. It doesn't completely immunize them from the free market however and they had better proceed wisely and not overplay their hand.
 
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