PAL
🇵🇭 PhilippinesOneworldFSC

Philippine Airlines

Philippine flag carrier. Oneworld member. Asia's oldest airline.

¥15.5M
Capt. Avg (pre-tax)
¥7.5M
FO Avg (pre-tax)
~80 aircraft
Fleet
40+ cities
Destinations
Overview

About Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines (PAL), founded 1941, is the flag carrier of the Philippines. Hubbing at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, it serves Americas, Middle East, East Asia, and SE Asia. After completing Chapter 11 restructuring in 2022, PAL is rebuilding. Oneworld member.

HQ
Manila, Philippines
Hub
Ninoy Aquino Int'l (MNL)
Alliance
Oneworld
Founded
1941
Status
Post-restructure (2022)
Income Tax
Yes (Philippines)
Salary Data

Pilot Salary (as of March 2026)

* Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks. Verify actual compensation with each airline's official recruitment information.

PositionSalary RangeAvg / ReferenceNotes
Captain
Int'l widebody
¥11.5M–¥21M
¥15.5M Pre-tax
First Officer
Domestic & Int'l
¥5M–¥10.5M
¥7.5M Seniority-based

💡 USD/JPY=150. Foreign pilots typically offered USD contracts.

Career Ladder

Pay by Seniority

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 StageYearsAnnual (pre-tax)Source
Cadet / Trainee≤2 yrs
¥3M–¥4.5M
est.
First Officer — Junior3–5 yrs
¥5M–¥7.5M
est.
First Officer — Mid6–10 yrs
¥6.5M–¥9M
est.
First Officer — Senior11–15 yrs
¥8M–¥10.5M
est.
Captain — New15–18 yrs
¥11.5M–¥15.8M
est.
Captain — Mid19–24 yrs
¥14.2M–¥18.3M
est.
Senior Captain25+ yrs
¥16.7M–¥21M
est.
Management / Instructor / ExaminerData wantedcrowd-sourced
Operations

Routes & Fleet

Routes

Manila to Americas (LA, NY, SF), Middle East, East Asia (Japan/Korea), SE Asia.

Fleet

A350-900, A330-300, A321neo/ceo, B777-300ER

Training

Training & Checkrides

Type Rating

CAAP Philippines-approved ATC. Ground → simulator → LIFUS.

LIFUS

Supervised line ops post-type rating.

Recurrent Checks

OPC/LPC 1–2x per year per CAAP.

Captain Upgrade

Seniority + internal assessment.

Benefits

Benefits & Perks

✈️
Staff Travel

Discount tickets. Oneworld partners included.

🏥
Health Insurance

Medical coverage for pilot and family.

💰
Bonus

Performance-linked bonus.

🏦
Pension

Corporate pension.

📅
Annual Leave

20–25 days.

🌐
Layover Allowance

Per diem for international layovers.

Job Openings

Recruitment Info (as of March 2026)

Hiring status: Foreign pilot hiring on irregular basis. Check official site.

Pilot Recruitment
International routes.
Check Official Page
License: ATPL (ICAO)
English: ICAO Level 4+
Comparison

Philippine Airlines vs Japan Majors

AirlineCaptain (range)First OfficerIncome Tax
Philippine Airlines 🇵🇭¥11.5M–¥21M¥5M–¥10.5MIncome 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.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Philippine Airlines captain salary in 2026?

Philippine Airlines captain pay averages about ¥15.5M per year (range ¥11.5M–¥21M), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.

What is Philippine Airlines first officer salary?

Philippine Airlines first officer pay averages about ¥7.5M per year (range ¥5M–¥10.5M), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.

What are the requirements to become a Philippine Airlines pilot?

Pilot Recruitment — International routes.. Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO); English: ICAO Level 4+.

How does Philippine Airlines pay compare to ANA or JAL?

Philippine Airlines captains average ¥15.5M, versus roughly ¥27M at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.