American Airlines

AA

DFW · CLT · MIA · PHL · ORD · PHX · LAX · JFK · LGA · DCA
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Pay

Taxed (United States)

American Airlines Captain, estimated annual pay

$427K

American Airlines First Officer, estimated annual pay

$265K

Our estimate

Submitted payREAL PAY

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Who it covers, what’s included, and when
Captain
Year-12 narrowbody captain at $390.30/hr × the 924-hr yearly minimum, plus 0.3% profit sharing and the 18% 401(k).As of: Pay rates from January 2026; profit sharing for 2025
First Officer
Year-6 narrowbody F/O at $242.91/hr (table’s $238.12 + 2.01%) × 924 hrs, plus 0.3% profit sharing and the 18% 401(k).As of: Pay rates from 2026; profit sharing for 2025

SourcesALPA Delta MEC, “pilot contract COMPARISON”Pay rates effective 1 January 2026 · checked 29 October 2026aerocrewnews.com (copy of the agreement), “American Airlines / APA 2023 Tentative Agreement — Full Pay Tables”Pay table effective 2 May 2026 · checked 29 October 2026Paddle Your Own Kanoo, “American Airlines Flight Attendants Furious Over 0.3% Profit-Sharing Bonus Amid Operational Meltdown”Posted 27 January 2026 · checked 29 October 2026

Base pay by year of service

Contract pay scale · 2026

First Officer

+112%over 12 years

Year 1 $113K
Year 12 $240K

Captain

+9%over 12 years

Year 1 $322K
Year 12 $351K

Year of serviceTap a year to see the pay

Year 6

First Officer

$218K

+$5Kvs. the year before

Captain

$335K

+$2.5Kvs. the year before

Hourly rate × 75 credit hours a month × 12 months, base pay only. Profit sharing, per diem and company retirement contributions are not included.

Pay and benefit terms

Researched 2 November 2026
Minimum guarantee
Greater of the ALV floor or 65 hours
Reserve guaranteeReference
Long-call 73 hours, short-call 76 hours2025 comparison tables
Override & premiums
International override USD 7/hr CA, USD 5/hr FO; 150%, 175% or 200% for designated extra flying
Profit sharing
Yes
Per diemReference
USD 3.41 an hour domestic, USD 4.07 internationalJanuary 2025 rates, reset yearly with the federal M&IE rate
RetirementReference
18% company DC contributionUnion comparison table
Contract status
Amendable Aug 1, 2027; Section 6 talks opened in August 2026
Scheduled raiseReference
About 3% in 20272027 comparison table
Pilot group sizeReference
16,000 pilotsApproximate figure from the pilots' union

Summarized by PILOT VALUE from public union contracts and company and union materials.

Jobs

We have not been able to confirm any vacancies published by the airline.

Benefits

Commuting

Pre-tax payroll deductions (your own money) for public transport commuting costs

Pilots’ benefits pages

  • Staff travelTravel privileges for eligible employees and family (details are in a separate document)
  • Insurance (medical and more)Medical, prescription, dental, vision and more from day one

Work rules

Researched 2 November 2026
VacationReference
21 days at years 2 and 5, 28 at year 12, 35 at year 20September 2025 comparison table; separate from days off

Summarized by PILOT VALUE from public union contracts and company and union materials.

Getting to work

Researched 2 November 2026
Rail to DFW
DART Orange Line to Terminal APublic passenger info

Summarized by PILOT VALUE from public union contracts and company and union materials.

Destinations & layovers

BaseDFW · CLT · MIA · PHL · ORD · PHX · LAX · JFK · LGA · DCA View on Google Maps

212 airports

Sourcesbasis · conditions · date
Conditions
  • Airports on domestic and international segments flown by American Airlines scheduled passenger flights in the US DOT (BTS) July 2026 traffic data. Base airports are not included.
  • Destinations confirmed in our research: 212 airports, as of 29 October 2026. This may not be every destination. It does not show which aircraft types or bases fly there, or whether crews lay over.
  • Sorted by region (cities with a photo first), not by popularity or number of flights.
As of
Checked in our research on 29 October 2026
Photo credits18

Tell us one thing about American Airlines.

You can save after answering just one question. Answers are anonymous and appear on the airline page once three pilots have answered the same item.

Answers so far

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Roster10 questions
Commuting and taxis8 questions
Staff Travel10 questions
Upgrade to captain4 questions
Training and career8 questions
Leave and allowances9 questions
Hotels and restaurantsBy destination · pilots only

Reviews

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the American Airlines captain salary in 2026?

American Airlines captain pay is estimated at about $427K per year, pre-tax. These are our own estimates from public information, not figures the airline publishes.

What is the American Airlines first officer salary?

American Airlines first officer pay is estimated at about $265K per year, pre-tax, rising with seniority.

What are the requirements to become an American Airlines pilot?

First Officer — All Aircraft — B737/A321/B757/B767/B787/B777. Key requirements: License: ATP Certificate. We have not been able to confirm flight-hour requirements the airline publishes. US work authorization required. AA Cadet Academy pathway available.

What is the American Airlines pilot salary per month?

We do not publish a monthly figure for American Airlines. An annual figure divided by twelve is not what lands in a given month — what you are paid moves with the hours you fly.

What is the American Airlines pilot pay scale?

We estimate annual pay for American Airlines captains at about $427K. That is our own estimate from public information, not a figure American Airlines publishes. These are gross figures, before income tax. The actual figure moves with the aircraft type, years of service and the routes you fly. We estimate annual pay for American Airlines first officers at about $265K. That is our own estimate from public information, not a figure American Airlines publishes. These are gross figures, before income tax. The actual figure moves with the aircraft type, years of service and the routes you fly. Source checked 2026-10-29; yen figures are converted for comparison at the rate held as of 2026-08-22, not a live rate.

Is the American Airlines pilot salary before or after tax?

Every figure on this page is gross, before income tax. Take-home depends on where you are resident and on your own deductions, so no single percentage applies, and we do not publish one. Airlines based in countries with no personal income tax — the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia — leave more of the same gross figure in your hand.