Frontier Airlines — an environmentally minded U.S. ultra-low-cost carrier, famous for the animal designs on its tail fins.
Frontier Airlines is a Denver-based ULCC known for its distinctive branding, which gives every aircraft a different animal design on its tail. With a fleet standardized on the A320 family, it serves destinations across the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America. Merger talks with Spirit Airlines broke down in 2023. Operating highly fuel-efficient aircraft, the carrier positions itself as a "green airline".
* 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 International widebody |
¥26M–¥43M |
¥33M | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Seniority-based |
¥11M–¥22M |
¥17.5M | Seniority-based |
Pay is denominated in USD and quoted pre-tax; U.S. income tax applies (federal top rate 37%). Yen equivalents are converted at USD/JPY = 150. Pay progression follows a seniority system, and among the ULCCs Frontier has maintained comparatively steady hiring. Figures published here are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks — always confirm actual pay terms with the airline's own recruitment information.
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 | ¥3.3M–¥5.5M | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | ¥11M–¥16M | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | ¥14.1M–¥18.9M | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | ¥17.1M–¥22M | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | ¥26M–¥33.7M | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | ¥30.8M–¥38.2M | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | ¥35.4M–¥43M | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Flies from the Denver hub to destinations throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America. A large share of the network is seasonal.
Airbus A321neo, A320neo, A319. Approximately 130 aircraft.
Type rating training at an FAA-certified ATO (Approved Training Organization), using Part 142 training centers such as CAE and FlightSafety. Ground school → simulator → LOFT.
After the type rating is issued, Initial Operating Experience is flown under the supervision of an instructor captain (Check Airman) — typically around 25–50 legs.
A Proficiency Check (PC) or Line Operational Evaluation (LOE) once or twice a year, conducted in accordance with FAA Part 121/135.
Seniority-based as a rule. Candidates must meet the required flight hours (normally 5,000–8,000 hours or more) and pass a check ride with a Check Airman. An R-ATP (1,500h) provision is available.
Pass travel for the pilot and family — free or heavily discounted travel on Frontier's own flights and those of partner carriers.
Comprehensive health insurance for the pilot and family. Loss-of-license insurance is also standard.
A defined-contribution 401(k) plan with company matching; matches of up to 5–16% are common.
Roughly 15–30 days a year, increasing with seniority. Flexible leave options such as flip and skip are available.
A daily allowance on flight days (roughly $2–4 per hour). Rates differ between domestic and international flying.
Additional allowances and hotel expenses for crew operating international flights.
Hiring status: Recruiting on a regular basis. Open to FAA ATP holders. U.S. work authorization is required.
Applicants holding an A320-family Type Rating are given preference.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines 🇺🇸 | ¥26M–¥43M | ¥11M–¥22M | Income tax applies |
| ANA 🇯🇵 | ¥22M–¥35M | ¥14M–¥21M | ~33% (Japan) |
| JAL 🇯🇵 | ¥22M–¥35M | ¥14M–¥21M | ~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.
Frontier Airlines captain pay averages about ¥33M per year (range ¥26M–¥43M), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Frontier Airlines first officer pay averages about ¥17.5M per year (range ¥11M–¥22M), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Captain / First Officer (Regular Recruitment) — Domestic and international flying. Primarily Denver-based.. Key requirements — License: FAA ATP (1,500h); English: Native or fluent; Minimum Flight Hours: To be confirmed; Work Eligibility: U.S. citizenship / permanent residency / work visa required. Applicants holding an A320-family Type Rating are given preference.
Frontier Airlines captains average ¥33M, versus roughly ¥27M at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.