A regional airline of the JAL Group, flying domestic local routes to and from Osaka Itami and Kansai with the CRJ-200.
An J-Air (J-AIR) captain earns an average of $126K per year, typically $113K–$145K. First officers average $79K ($69K–$94K). Figures are gross annual pay, before tax. Figures are as of March 2026.
J-Air (a company distinct from the former Japan Air Commuter, and not its successor) is a regional airline of the JAL Group founded in 1991. Based at Osaka Itami Airport, it operates regional routes across the Shikoku, San'in, Hokuriku, and Chubu regions.
Its hallmark is an efficient regional network operated with the Bombardier CRJ-200 (50 seats). As a member of the JAL Group, its safety management and training framework conform to the standards of JAL's mainline operation. With an extensive record of serving regional airports, pilots can accumulate the diverse route experience characteristic of small aircraft.
* 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 |
$113K–$145K |
$126K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Seniority-based |
$69K–$94K |
$79K | Seniority-based |
As a regional subsidiary of the JAL Group, pay levels are lower than at JAL's mainline operation. That said, a career path involving secondment or transfer to JAL itself also exists. Salaries are paid in Japanese yen (JPY).
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 | $21K–$35K | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | $69K–$81K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $76K–$87K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $83K–$94K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $113K–$128K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $122K–$136K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $131K–$145K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Domestic regional routes based at Osaka Itami: across Shikoku (Kochi, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Takamatsu); the San'in and San'yo areas (Izumo, Yonago, Tottori, Okayama); and Hokuriku and Noto (Toyama, Komatsu, Noto).
CRJ-200ER — 50 seats, the mainstay of regional routes. A 50-seat-class type configured for service to regional airports.
Type-rating training on the Bombardier CRJ-200. Drawing on the JAL Group's training infrastructure, it covers ground-school academics, simulator sessions, and live-aircraft IOE (Initial Operating Experience).
Conforms to the safety management system of JAL's mainline operation. The JAL Group's common quality-control and training programs are applied.
After building experience as a First Officer, pilots upgrade to CRJ-200 Captain. As the company is small, upgrade positions are limited.
As a JAL Group subsidiary, there are also opportunities for personnel exchange and secondment with JAL's mainline operation, offering a path toward stepping up to larger aircraft.
Discounted staff-travel ticket program across the JAL Group companies.
Enrollment in the health insurance society; support for aviation medical examinations.
Housing-support scheme tied to base assignment.
Defined-contribution pension plan and lump-sum retirement allowance.
Coverage for the risk of losing your license in the course of duty.
Career development is available within the JAL Group.
Hiring status: Check official page
Please confirm hiring details on the JAL Group careers page and the official J-Air website.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| J-Air (J-AIR) 🇯🇵 | $113K–$145K | $69K–$94K | ~33% (Japan) |
| 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.
J-Air (J-AIR) captain pay averages about $126K per year (range $113K–$145K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
J-Air (J-AIR) first officer pay averages about $79K per year (range $69K–$94K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Captain / First Officer (CRJ-200) — Domestic regional routes. Itami-based assignment.. Key requirements — Required License: CRJ type rating, or ATPL/CPL plus instrument rating; Language: Japanese required; English at ICAO Level 4 or above; Application: Via the JAL Group careers page. Please confirm hiring details on the JAL Group careers page and the official J-Air website.
J-Air (J-AIR) captains average $126K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, J-Air (J-AIR) captains earn about $11K a month and first officers about $6.5K. 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.
J-Air (J-AIR) first officers average $79K and captains $126K — a step of about $47K, or roughly 1.6×. The full range runs $69K to $145K, 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 $126K and first officers $79K 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 Japan 26 airlines · captain avg $116K