Hong Kong LCC. Qatar Airways Group subsidiary.
HK Express is a Hong Kong-based LCC owned by the Qatar Investment Authority (Qatar Airways Group). Operating A320 family exclusively across East Asia and SE Asia, including Japan (NRT/KIX/OKA). HK income tax is low (max 17%).
* 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 East & SE Asia routes |
$88K–$164K |
$129K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer International |
$50K–$94K |
$72K | Seniority-based |
💡 HKD/JPY≈19. HK income tax max 17% — among the lowest in major cities. Note: HK living costs are high.
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–$28K | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | $50K–$70K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $63K–$82K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $75K–$94K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $88K–$122K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $109K–$142K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $130K–$164K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
HKG to Japan (NRT/KIX/OKA/FUK), Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam.
A320/A321neo. ~30 aircraft.
CAD Hong Kong-approved ATC. Ground → simulator → LIFUS.
Part of Qatar Airways Group — potential access to group resources and network.
OPC/LPC 1–2x per year per CAD HK.
Vacancy + seniority based.
Asia financial center. Low income tax (max 17%).
Qatar Airways Group employee benefits access.
Medical coverage.
Per HK labor law.
Hiring status: A320 type-rated pilots actively sought. Check official site.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| HK Express 🇭🇰 | $88K–$164K | $50K–$94K | 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.
HK Express captain pay averages about $129K per year (range $88K–$164K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
HK Express first officer pay averages about $72K per year (range $50K–$94K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Captain / First Officer — A320/A321 — East Asia routes.. Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO/CASL); Type: A320 type preferred.
HK Express captains average $129K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, HK Express captains earn about $11K a month and first officers about $6K. 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.
HK Express first officers average $72K and captains $129K — a step of about $57K, or roughly 1.8×. The full range runs $50K to $164K, 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 $129K and first officers $72K 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 Hong Kong 2 airlines · captain avg $178K