Incomes

How Much Do Pilots Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide

Complete guide to pilot salaries in the UK for 2026. First officer to captain pay, airline comparisons, cargo vs passenger, training costs, pension, and career progression for commercial airline pilots.

· 4 min read

Airline pilots are among the highest-paid professionals in the UK, but the path involves significant training investment. Here’s the complete breakdown of pilot earnings.

Airline Pilot Salary by Rank (2025/26)

Commercial Airline Pay Overview

Rank Salary Range
First Officer (new) £35,000-£55,000
First Officer (mid-level) £50,000-£75,000
Senior First Officer £65,000-£100,000
Captain (short-haul) £90,000-£140,000
Captain (long-haul) £120,000-£180,000
Training Captain £140,000-£200,000

Pay by Airline

UK-Based Major Airlines

Airline First Officer Captain
British Airways (short-haul) £50,000-£75,000 £100,000-£130,000
British Airways (long-haul) £65,000-£95,000 £130,000-£170,000+
Virgin Atlantic £55,000-£85,000 £120,000-£160,000
easyJet £45,000-£75,000 £100,000-£140,000
Ryanair £40,000-£65,000 £80,000-£120,000
Jet2 £40,000-£65,000 £85,000-£115,000
TUI Airways £45,000-£70,000 £90,000-£130,000
Wizz Air £35,000-£55,000 £80,000-£110,000
Loganair £32,000-£45,000 £60,000-£85,000

Cargo Airlines

Airline First Officer Captain
DHL Aviation (European Air Transport) £55,000-£80,000 £110,000-£150,000
West Atlantic £50,000-£70,000 £100,000-£130,000
Cargologicair £55,000-£80,000 £110,000-£150,000
Freelance cargo operations Various £120,000-£180,000+

Pay by Aircraft Type

Larger aircraft with more complex operations typically command higher salaries:

Aircraft Type First Officer Captain
Turboprop (ATR, Dash 8) £30,000-£45,000 £55,000-£85,000
Narrow-body (A320, B737) £40,000-£75,000 £85,000-£140,000
Wide-body (A330, B777, B787) £55,000-£95,000 £120,000-£180,000
Long-range (A350, B777-300ER) £60,000-£100,000 £140,000-£180,000+

Sector and Base Differences

Role Type Pay Factor
Long-haul Higher base + allowances
Short-haul Base + sector pay
Low-cost carrier Competitive but less away time
Regional Lower pay, often better lifestyle
Cargo High pay, unsociable hours
Heathrow-based Often higher allowances
Regional base May have lower cost of living

Additional Pay Components

Per Diems and Allowances

Component Typical Rate
Per diem (daily expenses) £50-£100/day when away
Night stop allowance £30-£60/night
Sector pay £5-£30 per sector flown
Meal allowance Often included in per diem

Additional Earnings

Source Amount
Training Captain premium £15,000-£40,000/year
Line Training premium £5,000-£15,000/year
Type Rating Examiner (TRE) £10,000-£25,000 additional
Management duties Varies
Overtime/extra flying Depends on airline

Private and Business Aviation

Role Salary Range
First Officer (corporate) £40,000-£65,000
Captain (corporate single-pilot) £60,000-£90,000
Captain (corporate multi-crew) £80,000-£130,000
Senior Captain (UHNW/luxury) £100,000-£180,000+
Chief Pilot £120,000-£200,000+

Benefits in private aviation often include car, international travel, and better lifestyle.

Training Costs

Route to Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) with ATPL Frozen

Training Route Cost Duration
Integrated ATPL (full-time) £80,000-£140,000 14-18 months
Modular ATPL (part-time) £50,000-£80,000 2-4 years
University degree + flying £50,000-£70,000 3-4 years
Airline cadet programme £0-£100,000 (bonded) 18-24 months

Type Rating (Additional)

Requirement Cost
Type rating (A320/B737) £20,000-£35,000
Line training Often airline-funded
Self-funded type rating May be required at smaller airlines

Airline Pension Schemes

Airline Pension Type Employer Contribution
British Airways Defined contribution 12-16%
easyJet Defined contribution ~12%
Virgin Atlantic Defined contribution ~10-12%
Ryanair Defined contribution 8-10%
Jet2 Defined contribution ~8-10%

Example: A BA captain earning £150,000 with 14% employer pension contribution receives £21,000/year into their pension.

Career Progression Timeline

Stage Years Rank Salary
Cadet/Training 0 Student N/A (paying for training)
First job (turboprop) 1-3 First Officer £30,000-£45,000
Jet upgrade 3-6 First Officer (jet) £45,000-£65,000
Building hours 6-10 Senior First Officer £55,000-£85,000
Command course 8-15 Junior Captain £90,000-£120,000
Established Captain 12-20 Captain £110,000-£160,000
Training/Management 15-25 Training Captain £140,000-£200,000

How to Become a Pilot

Requirements

Requirement Details
Age 18+ to hold CPL (can start training from 16)
Education 5 GCSEs including Maths and English (A-levels/degree often preferred)
Medical Class 1 medical certificate (annual renewals)
Height Typically 1.57m-1.93m (airline dependent)
English ICAO Level 4 minimum (6 for UK)
Right to work UK/EU or appropriate visa

Licence Structure

Licence Allows
PPL (Private Pilot Licence) Private flying (part of training)
CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) Paid flying as co-pilot
ATPL (Frozen) Fly as first officer on commercial jets
ATPL (Full) Command commercial aircraft (requires 1,500 hours)
Type Rating Specific aircraft (A320, B737, etc.)

RAF and Military Pilots

Rank Salary
Officer Cadet (training) £28,936
Pilot Officer (after wings) £33,660-£37,404
Flying Officer £35,188-£46,200
Flight Lieutenant £52,668-£58,596
Squadron Leader £65,820-£82,152
Flying pay supplement £10,000-£17,000/year

Military pilots often transition to civilian airlines after service, bringing valuable experience.

Benefits

Benefit Details
Pension Good DC schemes (8-16% employer contribution)
Travel concessions Heavily discounted flights (some airlines)
Hotel stays When on overnight stops
Meals Per diem for food when away
Uniform Provided by airline
Training Type ratings and recurrent training funded
Career stability Strong demand for pilots
Lifestyle Mix of home base and travel

Summary

Role Salary Range
First Officer (regional/start) £30,000-£55,000
First Officer (major airline) £50,000-£95,000
Captain (short-haul) £90,000-£140,000
Captain (long-haul) £120,000-£180,000
Training Captain £140,000-£200,000+
Private/business jet Captain £80,000-£180,000
Training cost £50,000-£140,000