China's largest by passenger count. SkyTeam member.
China Southern Airlines (CZ) is China's largest carrier by passenger count. Hubbing at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Beijing Daxing, it serves domestic and international routes. SkyTeam member. Has actively recruited foreign captains in the past.
* 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–$296K |
$186K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Domestic & Int'l |
$62K–$132K |
$94K | Seniority-based |
💡 USD/JPY=150. Foreign special hiring on USD contracts. Policy varies — verify current status.
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–$206K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $178K–$250K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $222K–$296K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Guangzhou/Beijing to SE Asia, Japan (NRT/HND/KIX), Europe, Americas, Oceania (Sydney).
B787, B777, B737 series, A380, A330, A321/A320, C919. 600+ aircraft.
CAAC China-approved ATC.
Supervised line ops post-type rating.
OPC/LPC per CAAC.
Required for foreign pilots. Time and cost involved.
Discount tickets. SkyTeam partners.
Medical coverage for pilot and family.
Performance-linked bonus.
Corporate pension.
20–25 days.
Per diem for international layovers.
Hiring status: Foreign hiring policy varies. Check latest status.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Southern Airlines 🇨🇳 | $132K–$296K | $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 Southern Airlines captain pay averages about $186K per year (range $132K–$296K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
China Southern Airlines first officer pay averages about $94K 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 Southern Airlines captains average $186K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, China Southern Airlines captains earn about $15K a month and first officers about $7.9K. 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 Southern Airlines first officers average $94K and captains $186K — a step of about $91K, or roughly 2.0×. The full range runs $62K to $296K, 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 $186K and first officers $94K 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