China flag carrier. Star Alliance member.
Air China is China's flag carrier and Star Alliance member. Hubbing at Beijing Capital and Daxing airports, it serves global routes. Has historically recruited foreign pilots, particularly captains, though policy varies by period.
* Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks. Verify actual compensation with each airline's official recruitment information.
| Position | Salary Range | Avg / Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain Int'l widebody |
$138K–$302K |
$192K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer China domestic & int'l |
$63K–$138K |
$98K | Seniority-based |
💡 USD/JPY=150, CNY/JPY≈20. USD special contracts for foreign pilots. China income tax up to 45% but foreign exemptions may apply. Verify current policy.
Modeled from the captain / first-officer ranges above, sliced into standard career stages. Bands marked est. are derived from those ranges (not official); verified bands come from active-pilot data. Management pay is crowd-sourced from verified pilots.
| Career Stage | Years | Annual (pre-tax) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet / Trainee | ≤2 yrs | $19K–$31K | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | $63K–$97K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $84K–$117K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $104K–$138K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $138K–$212K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $184K–$256K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $228K–$302K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Beijing hub to Europe (London, Frankfurt, LA, NY), SE Asia, Japan (NRT/HND), Middle East, Oceania.
B777-300ER, B737-8, A350, A321neo, A320neo, C919 (domestic). 430+ aircraft.
CAAC China-approved ATC. Ground → simulator → LIFUS.
Supervised line ops post-type rating.
OPC/LPC 1–2x per year per CAAC.
Foreign license conversion to CAAC required. Time and cost involved. Plan accordingly.
Air China discount tickets. Star Alliance partners included.
Major China cities. Cost of living lower than Japan in some respects.
Medical coverage for pilot and family.
Performance-linked bonus.
Corporate pension.
Per diem for international layovers.
Hiring status: Foreign pilot hiring policy varies. Recent trend toward Chinese pilot training. Check latest status.
⚠️ CAAC license conversion requires time and cost. Plan carefully.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air China 🇨🇳 | $138K–$302K | $63K–$138K | Income tax applies |
| ANA 🇯🇵 | $138K–$220K | $88K–$132K | ~33% (Japan) |
| JAL 🇯🇵 | $138K–$220K | $88K–$132K | ~33% (Japan) |
* Salary figures are SSOT reference values (pre-tax unless marked tax-free). ANA / JAL shown as the Japan baseline — ~33% income tax applies in Japan, so after-tax take-home is lower than the headline. Tax-free carriers pay 100% take-home. Verify exact figures with each airline.
Air China captain pay averages about $192K per year (range $138K–$302K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Air China first officer pay averages about $98K per year (range $63K–$138K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Contract Captain (Foreign) — Int'l widebody (irregular). Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO); Experience: 5,000h+ widebody; CAAC: License conversion required. ⚠️ CAAC license conversion requires time and cost. Plan carefully.
Air China captains average $192K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, Air China captains earn about $16K a month and first officers about $8.1K. What actually lands each month moves with block hours flown, and where an annual bonus is paid the regular monthly figure sits lower with a spike in the bonus month.
Air China first officers average $98K and captains $192K — a step of about $94K, or roughly 2.0×. The full range runs $63K to $302K, and where you sit inside it is set by seniority, type rating and the routes you fly. The seniority table on this page breaks the same range into career stages.
Every figure on this page is gross, before income tax. Captains average $192K and first officers $98K pre-tax, and income tax, social insurance and any local levies come out of that. Take-home depends on where you are resident and on your own deductions, so no single percentage applies. Airlines based in countries with no personal income tax — the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia — leave more of the same gross figure in your hand.
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Pilot salary in China 4 airlines · captain avg $188K