What is the average annual salary for a pilot?

The average annual salary for a pilot in Japan is about $106K (based on Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and industry data). It varies widely by rank, aircraft type and airline, however: $75K–$100K for First Officers and $113K–$169K for Captains is closer to reality. At overseas carriers, average annual salaries above $188K are widely reported.

What is the typical salary range for pilots?

Typical salary ranges at Japan's major carriers (ANA, JAL) are $150K–$169K for Captains and $88K–$113K for First Officers. Low-cost carriers (LCC) sit slightly lower, with Captains at $125K–$163K. At Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Qatar), Captain packages worth $250K–$313K are not unusual.

How much do LCC pilots earn?

At low-cost carriers (LCC), Captain pay is about $163K at Jetstar Japan, about $175K at ZIPAIR and about $138K at Skymark. Pay generally sits below the major Japanese carriers, though some LCCs pay higher allowances per flight hour.

How big is the pay gap between Captains and First Officers?

At Japanese carriers, the gap between Captain and First Officer averages about $38K–$75K. Upgrade from First Officer to Captain takes roughly 10 to 15 years, and pay jumps sharply on upgrade. At ANA and JAL, First Officers average $100K–$113K against $169K for Captains, a gap of about $56K.

How much do pilots earn at overseas airlines such as Emirates and Qatar?

Middle Eastern carriers pay exceptionally well. Emirates Captains average about $231K (range about $209K–$316K, tax-free). Including the housing allowance (worth about $51K a year), the effective package is equivalent to $263K+. Qatar Airways Captains average about $181K (about $163K–$300K, tax-free). Because the UAE and Qatar levy no personal income tax, take-home pay is often close to double what it would be in Japan.

How do taxes affect pilot pay?

Pilots in Japan are taxed like any other salaried employee: on an annual salary of $169K, income tax and residence tax together come to about $56K–$63K. By contrast, carriers based in the UAE and Qatar such as Emirates and Qatar Airways pay no personal income tax, so the same gross salary yields 1.4 to 1.6 times the take-home pay of Japan.

How do I switch careers to become a pilot?

There are three main routes into the flight deck. ① Company-sponsored cadet selection at an airline, where the carrier covers the cost of training. ② Self-funded training at a flight school, followed by a job search. ③ Moving across from the JSDF, police aviation or similar. PILOT VALUE covers pilot recruitment and hiring conditions at 117 airlines.

How much does a new pilot (first-year First Officer) earn?

A first-year First Officer earns about $75K–$88K at ANA and about $69K–$81K at JAL. During company-sponsored cadet training the pay is a training allowance only, around $25K–$44K, but once you go on line and start flying revenue passengers, flight allowance is added and total pay rises sharply.

What does the pilot salary ranking look like, in Japan and overseas?

Top of the Captain average-salary ranking: the US carriers lead, with United at about $395K, Delta about $385K, American about $371K and Southwest about $301K. In Asia and the Middle East, Cathay Pacific is about $225K, Emirates about $231K (tax-free), Singapore about $213K and Qatar about $181K (tax-free). In Japan, ANA and JAL are about $169K. At the US majors, a senior Captain with profit sharing can peak in the $500K range. See the 117-airline comparison pages on PILOT VALUE for the full picture.

Pilot Salary and Career Info | Compare ANA, JAL and 117 Airlines Worldwide

Q: How much do pilots earn?

In Japan, pilot pay typically runs $75K–$100K for First Officers and $113K–$169K for Captains. ANA Captains earn about $169K and JAL Captains about $169K. At overseas carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, Captain pay can exceed $250K. PILOT VALUE lets you compare pilot salary data for 117 airlines free of charge.

Q: How much do ANA pilots earn?

ANA pilots earn about $88K–$113K as First Officers and about $150K–$188K as Captains (average $169K). As Japan's largest airline, All Nippon Airways offers one of the strongest packages in the industry. B777 international Captains have been reported above $188K.

Q: How much do JAL pilots earn?

JAL pilots earn about $81K–$100K as First Officers and about $150K–$188K as Captains (average $169K). Japan Airlines operates the A350, B777 and B787, and is known for a stable employment environment on both international and domestic routes.

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Pilot Salaries: Japan vs Overseas

Average Captain salaries compared by region. The gap between Japan and overseas runs as high as 2.3x, and Middle Eastern pay is tax-free, so real take-home is better still.

Average Captain salary (as of June 2026, converted to JPY)

🇺🇸 US major carriers Highest in the industry

¥6,100万+

Delta, United, American (senior Captain $465,000+/yr)

🇦🇪 Middle East majors (tax-free) Zero tax

¥3,300万+

Emirates, Qatar, Etihad — worth an effective ¥4,200万+ with housing allowance

🇪🇺 European major carriers

¥3,440万

Lufthansa — 5% pay rise in January 2026. EUR-denominated pay is climbing

🌏 Major Asian carriers

¥3,500万

Singapore Airlines / Cathay Pacific — among the best packages in Asia

🇯🇵 Major Japanese carriers Benchmark

¥2,700万

ANA / JAL (average Captain) — best-in-Japan severance, pension and job security

🇯🇵 Japanese LCCs

¥2,300万

Peach / ZIPAIR / Jetstar Japan / Spring Japan

* Converted at USD/JPY=150. US figures are benchmarked to $465,000 per year. Middle East figures are gross, since the income is tax-free. Actual pay varies by aircraft type, years of experience and contract type.

US vs Japan

+2.5x

The gap in senior Captain pay. Against $465,000+ in the US, the ANA/JAL average is ¥2,700万 (about $180,000). After tax the real gap can approach 3x.

The real upside of the tax-free Middle East

Take-home equivalent

An Emirates Captain's average of ¥3,700万 (¥3,350万–5,050万, tax-free) buys more than twice what Japanese pay does after tax. Add the housing allowance (worth about ¥820万 a year) and the total package is equivalent to ¥4,200万+.

Career options

Stability at a major Japanese carrier → ANA / JAL

Tax-free, top-tier package → Emirates / Qatar

Chasing the highest pay → Delta / United

View airline profiles

❷

Pilot salary comparison by airline (Captain)

Each airline profile covers pay, operating environment, training, benefits and hiring requirements.

* Overseas figures converted at USD/JPY=150. Figures for tax-free countries are gross. Actual pay varies by aircraft type, years of experience and contract type. Check each airline's profile page for the latest information.

❸

Pilot Jobs & Career Moves

Airlines actively hiring as of June 2026. Select a card to open the full profile.

ANA

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

B787 / B777 / A380

Actively hiring

🇯🇵 Japan International / Permanent

🇯🇵 Japan International / Permanent

Captain salary (tax-free)

B757 / B767 / B777 / A330

Actively hiring

🇺🇸 USA International

Captain salary (senior)

Captain salary (tax-free)

🇯🇵 Japan LCC / International

🇯🇵 Japan Domestic / Permanent

🇯🇵 Japan LCC / Domestic & International

Captain salary (widebody)

¥5,370万–¥8,530万

Details →

Global Job Openings — Latest Pilot Jobs

External listing

View all listings in Japanese →

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

Riyadh Air

First Officer B787

New airline · Actively hiring

All listed airlines

Comparisons

Pilot Salaries — In-Depth Comparisons

A data-driven breakdown of the pay gaps between airlines, and between careers.

Japan Majors

ANA vs JAL — Which One Pays More?

Captain pay, First Officer pay, time to upgrade and overall package compared point by point, so you know which one to aim for.

Foreign Carriers

Foreign vs Japanese Carriers — The Real Pay Gap

Middle East carriers such as Emirates and Qatar versus ANA and JAL: the true take-home difference once tax treatment is factored in.

LCC

Every LCC Compared — What Low-Cost Carriers Really Pay

Captain pay and working conditions at Japan's LCCs — ZIPAIR, Peach, Jetstar, Skymark and the rest — lined up side by side.

Middle East Move

ANA vs Emirates — Can a Move Really Double Your Pay?

ANA Captain 2,700万 vs Emirates Captain 3,600万+ (tax-free). We work out the real gap once housing allowance is included.

Gulf Big Two

Emirates vs Qatar — The Gulf's Big Two Head to Head

Dubai vs Doha: real earnings, how hard it is to get hired, and life on the ground. Which one should a Japanese pilot pick?

Career Comparison

Pilot vs Doctor — Pay, Difficulty and Lifestyle

Doctors average 1,338万 vs pilots 1,697万. Earnings curves from your twenties to retirement, plus lifestyle, compared in full.

Career Comparison

Pilot vs Lawyer — Stability vs No Ceiling

The truth behind the 738万 lawyer average and its two-tier reality: bar exam vs company-sponsored cadet, the pay gap at 30, and the option to go independent.

Salary Rankings

Top 8 High-Income Careers — Is Pilot the Strongest?

Doctor, lawyer, surgeon, investment banker, tech executive, pro athlete and more: eight careers ranked on pay, stability and risk of AI replacement.

Career Guide NEW

The Complete Pilot Career-Move Guide — Pay, Requirements, Process

Salary simulations for moves within Japan, overseas and to LCCs, plus the licenses you need, a realistic timeline, and 7 checkpoints to keep the move from going wrong.

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FAQ

Pilot Salary and Career Move FAQ

Compiled from the questions working pilots actually ask

How much do pilots earn?

Pilot pay varies widely by airline and by rank. In Japan, the going range is roughly 1,400–2,100万円 for a First Officer and 2,200–3,500万円 for a Captain. The average for an ANA or JAL Captain is about 2,700万円. At overseas carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, average Captain pay reaches2,900–3,700万円 (tax-free). At the major U.S. carriers (Delta, United, American) Captains average around 6,000万円, and it is not unusual for senior Captains to peak above 8,000万円.

How much do ANA pilots earn?

ANA pilot annual salary runs to roughly 1,400–2,100万円 for First Officers and 2,200–3,500万円 for Captains (averaging about 2,700万円). ANA (All Nippon Airways) is Japan's largest airline and pays at the top of the industry. With bonuses and allowances included, total compensation for a senior Captain can reach 3,500万円.See full ANA pilot salary details →

How much do JAL pilots earn?

JAL pilot annual salary runs to roughly 1,400–2,100万円 for First Officers and 2,200–3,500万円 for Captains (averaging about 2,700万円). JAL (Japan Airlines) operates an extensive international and domestic network, and is known for stable employment and a well-developed training system.See full JAL pilot salary details →

What does it take to become an airline pilot?

There are three main routes into an airline pilot career.

① Company-sponsored cadet program: The airline covers the entire cost of training. ANA, JAL and others take on several dozen cadets a year, and competition can exceed 100 applicants per place.
② Self-funded training (flight school): Train at an overseas flight school, then job-hunt. Expect costs of around 2,000–3,000万円.
③ Experienced-hire recruitment: Moving across from another operator or from the JSDF. Licenses already held and logged flight hours are what count.

Credentials required: a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), an instrument rating, and English proficiency (ICAO Level 4 or above).See full career-move information →

How do I move to an overseas airline as a pilot?

The overseas carriers recruiting Japanese pilots most actively are Emirates (Captain average 3,700万円, tax-free), Qatar Airways (2,900万円, tax-free), Singapore Airlines (3,400万円) and Cathay Pacific (3,600万円) and others.

Middle Eastern and Asian carriers are hiring Japanese pilots aggressively, and you can apply with an ATPL, the required flight time (typically 1,500–2,500 hours or more) and English proficiency (ICAO Level 4 or above). Benefits are generous too, including housing allowance, medical cover and staff travel.See full overseas career-move information →

How much does pay increase on upgrade from First Officer to Captain?

On upgrade from First Officer to Captain, annual salary typically rises by around 900–1,000万円. At ANA, pay moves from First Officer (average 1,800万円) to Captain (average 2,700万円), a step up of about 900万円, and JAL shows the same pattern. Overseas, upgrade criteria are clearer still: at Emirates a First Officer on 2,800万円 moves to 3,700万円 (tax-free) as Captain, so the jump at upgrade is far larger.

Browse all 117 airlines Read the complete pilot salary guide →

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Pilot Salaries: Japan vs Overseas

Pilot salary comparison by airline (Captain)

Pilot Jobs & Career Moves

Pilot Salaries — In-Depth Comparisons

See what working pilots
really think

Showing pilots what they are truly worth.

Pilot Salary and Career Move FAQ

Among the world's largest | Fully anonymous | Pilots only | Salary and career platform

Pilot Salaries: Japan vs Overseas

Pilot salary comparison by airline (Captain)

Pilot Jobs & Career Moves

Pilot Salaries — In-Depth Comparisons

See what working pilots really think

Showing pilots what they are truly worth.

Pilot Salary and Career Move FAQ

See what working pilots
really think