Philippine flag carrier. Oneworld member. Asia's oldest airline.
An Philippine Airlines captain earns an average of $98K per year, typically $72K–$132K. First officers average $47K ($31K–$66K). Figures are gross annual pay, before tax. Figures are as of March 2026.
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.
* 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 |
$72K–$132K |
$98K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Domestic & Int'l |
$31K–$66K |
$47K | Seniority-based |
💡 USD/JPY=150. Foreign pilots typically offered USD contracts.
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 | $31K–$47K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $41K–$57K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $50K–$66K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $72K–$99K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $89K–$115K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $105K–$132K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Manila to Americas (LA, NY, SF), Middle East, East Asia (Japan/Korea), SE Asia.
A350-900, A330-300, A321neo/ceo, B777-300ER
CAAP Philippines-approved ATC. Ground → simulator → LIFUS.
Supervised line ops post-type rating.
OPC/LPC 1–2x per year per CAAP.
Seniority + internal assessment.
Discount tickets. Oneworld partners included.
Medical coverage for pilot and family.
Performance-linked bonus.
Corporate pension.
20–25 days.
Per diem for international layovers.
Hiring status: Foreign pilot hiring on irregular basis. Check official site.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippine Airlines 🇵🇭 | $72K–$132K | $31K–$66K | 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.
Philippine Airlines captain pay averages about $98K per year (range $72K–$132K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Philippine Airlines first officer pay averages about $47K per year (range $31K–$66K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Pilot Recruitment — International routes.. Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO); English: ICAO Level 4+.
Philippine Airlines captains average $98K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, Philippine Airlines captains earn about $8.1K a month and first officers about $4K. 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.
Philippine Airlines first officers average $47K and captains $98K — a step of about $50K, or roughly 2.1×. The full range runs $31K to $132K, 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 $98K and first officers $47K 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 the Philippines 1 airline · captain avg $98K