American Airlines’ pilot salaries have soared 46% amidst continued cockpit shortages. Here’s what they make now and how to join the team.
Is becoming a pilot your dream career? You’re not alone, according to a study of Google search trends.
Remitly, a financial services provider, conducted an analysis of Google searches between October 2021 and October 2022 by examining keywords such as “dream job” or “dream career” and found that, in more than 100 countries, pilot was the most searched-for profession. (Writer, dancer, YouTuber, and entrepreneur rounded out the top five.)
Fortunately, for thousands of aspiring aviators, the dream of flying for a major airline has quickly become a reality in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and travel restrictions caused airlines to lose billions, and they cut costs by offering their most senior pilots early retirement packages — or pausing hiring altogether.
Now that demand for travel has rebounded, airlines have been on hiring sprees, adding thousands of new pilots a year to fill their empty cockpits, and according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook ahead seems like more blue skies: The industry is expected to continue to grow by 6% per year through 2031.
In order to entice aspiring aviators into putting in the hours to earn their wings, major airlines, like American Airlines (AAL) have even waived the four-year college degree requirement, focusing instead on flight training — and several, including American, have launched their own flight schools, admitting cadets with zero experience along with the promise of income potential in as little as 12 months.
American Airlines, one of the world’s oldest and largest airlines, offers some of the industry’s top salaries to the 15,000 pilots commanding its flight decks.
After the company posted record revenues in 2023, its pilots union, the Allied Pilots Association, successfully negotiated a $1.1 billion pay increase, which included an immediate 21% raise and successive increases amounting to 46% by 2027. Pilots also received perks in the form of greater vacation pay and increased life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement benefits.
American says it has hired and trained more pilots post-pandemic than at any other time in its history, welcoming 2,500 new pilots in 2022 and another 2,300 pilots in 2023. In addition, it expects around 850 pilots to retire each year through 2028, thus creating even more urgency.
But in 2024, American Airlines expects to hire just 1,300 pilots — not because demand is slackening but rather due to delays from its aircraft manufacturer, Boeing (BA) , as it undergoes a federal safety investigation.
American has long been regarded for its strong safety record, and in April 2024, its pilots union again made headlines by reporting an increase in safety and maintenance-related issues it had been tracking, urging all of its pilots to remain vigilant.