Five highest-paying airlines in the world for pilots

Like every other profession, pilots also jostle for the highest-paying airlines. Aside from paying mouth-watering salaries and allowances, these airlines also frequently train employees to equip them with skills that match the ever-advancing aviation technologies.

Research shows that most highest-paying airlines in the world for pilots are the oldest in the industry. As a result, they know a lot about treating workers, investors, and customers the right way. Online platforms like Glassdoor.com determine airlines with the highest-paid pilots worldwide using salary report(s) provided by employees and estimates from statistical methods.

TUKO.co.ke a Kenyan online newspaper and entertainment website that features aggregated and user-generated news content provides the amount of money as salaries by these airlines per annum.

Spirit Airlines

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Spirit Airlines is a major American ultra-low-cost carrier operating throughout the US, Caribbean, and Latin America. The airline started operations in 1983 in Macomb County, Michigan, but has headquarters in Miramar, Florida. The average pilot salary at Spirit Airlines is $114,494 per year. However, this airline’s pilots’ salaries usually range from $64,326 – $237,378 per year. Frontier Airlines purchased Spirit Airlines on 7th February 2022 for $2.9 billion.

Frontier Airlines

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The company was formed on 8th February 1994 and flies to over 100 destinations throughout the USA and 31 international destinations. Its headquarters are in Denver, Colorado, and employs more than 3,000 staff. The Frontier Airlines salaries for pilots is $61,307 – $343,113, while the average wage is $116,692.

American Airways

American Airways is one of the longest-serving airlines in the US. It was founded on 15th April 1926, with headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. American Airways’ pilots earn $26,555 – $454,476 per year. In addition, the typical American Airlines Pilot salary is $121,047 per year.

Sun Country Airlines

Sun Country Airlines is an ultra-low-cost passenger and cargo airline that is the eleventh largest in the US by the number of passengers it carries. It was created in June 1982, with headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The average Sun Country Airlines’ annual pilot salary is $124,072, and it usually pays them $117,817 – $138,610 per year.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii and its pilots’ salaries are $129,901 – $169,301 per year. Their average pay is $150,001 per year. Hawaiian Airlines was incorporated on 30th January 1929 as Inter-Island Airways Ltd. It is the largest commercial flight operator to and from Hawaii and the tenth-largest commercial airline in the USA.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.