Shanghai-based. One of China's big-3. SkyTeam member.
China Eastern Airlines (MU) hubs at Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports. One of China's big-3, SkyTeam member. Excellent Japan routes (NRT/HND/KIX/NGO/FUK among most frequent). Has history of foreign pilot recruitment.
* 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 |
$132K–$289K |
$182K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Domestic & Int'l |
$62K–$132K |
$93K | Seniority-based |
💡 USD/JPY=150. Foreign special contracts typically USD-denominated.
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 | $62K–$93K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $81K–$113K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $101K–$132K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $132K–$203K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $176K–$245K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $219K–$289K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Shanghai to Japan (NRT/HND/KIX/NGO/FUK+), Europe, Americas, SE Asia, Oceania. Japan routes very frequent.
A350, A330, A321/A320neo/ceo, B777, B737 MAX. 500+ aircraft.
CAAC China-approved ATC.
Supervised line ops.
OPC/LPC per CAAC.
Required for foreign pilots.
Discount tickets. SkyTeam partners.
Medical coverage.
Performance-linked bonus.
Corporate pension.
20–25 days.
Per diem for international layovers.
Hiring status: Foreign hiring on irregular basis. Check latest status.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Eastern Airlines 🇨🇳 | $132K–$289K | $62K–$132K | 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.
China Eastern Airlines captain pay averages about $182K per year (range $132K–$289K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
China Eastern Airlines first officer pay averages about $93K per year (range $62K–$132K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Contract Captain (Foreign) — International (irregular). Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO); CAAC: License conversion required.
China Eastern Airlines captains average $182K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, China Eastern Airlines captains earn about $15K a month and first officers about $7.7K. 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.
China Eastern Airlines first officers average $93K and captains $182K — a step of about $89K, or roughly 2.0×. The full range runs $62K to $289K, 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 $182K and first officers $93K 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