Saudi Arabia's tax-free startup flag carrier, recruiting pilots at scale ahead of a 124-aircraft fleet ramp.
An Riyadh Air captain earns an average of $271K per year, typically $226K–$315K. First officers average $189K ($170K–$214K). Pay is tax-free — Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax. Figures are as of March 2026.
Riyadh Air is a startup carrier wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Positioned as the kingdom's second flag carrier alongside Saudia, it flew its first services in October 2025 from Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, building an international network across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
As a cornerstone of the government's Vision 2030 tourism and economic-diversification strategy, the airline is running large-scale pilot recruitment. With a 124-aircraft order book and no established seniority list, early joiners have unusually strong upgrade prospects.
* 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 |
$226K–$315K |
$271K | Tax-free |
| First Officer Seniority-based |
$170K–$214K |
$189K | Seniority-based |
Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax, so pilot pay is effectively net (tax-free). Compensation is denominated in Saudi Riyal (SAR), converted at SAR/JPY ≈ 40 as of March 2026. Base monthly pay is paid × 12, with flight-hour overtime paid on top for hours flown above 75 hrs/month.
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 | $51K–$85K | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | $170K–$190K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $182K–$201K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $194K–$214K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $226K–$266K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $251K–$290K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $275K–$315K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Riyadh-based international network. The summer-2026 plan covers 15+ cities: Amman, Bangkok, Cairo, Dubai, London Heathrow, Madrid, Manchester, Manila, Mumbai, Paris CDG, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Islamabad, Lahore and Jeddah.
124 aircraft on order: Boeing 787-9 (39), Airbus A321neo (60) and Airbus A350-1000 (25). In 2026 the fleet is mainly the 787-9 and A321neo.
Type training for each aircraft runs at approved training centers — Boeing's certified center for the 787 and Airbus's for the A321.
Training follows ICAO standards and is conducted under IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification.
A comprehensive framework is being built out, covering twice-yearly proficiency checks, line checks and UPRT (upset prevention and recovery training).
As a startup, First Officers hired early have abundant future captain-upgrade opportunities — the window before seniority builds up is now.
Expat housing provided within Riyadh.
Full international-school tuition support for up to 3 children.
20 round-trip business-class tickets a year between home and Riyadh.
Annual profit-sharing tied to airline performance.
Automatic 5% pay increase every year.
Global medical and life cover for the pilot and family.
Hiring status: Actively hiring (as of 2026)
Recent 12-month flying must meet minimum currency thresholds. See the original posting on Latest Pilot Jobs for full details.
Instructor/examiner role supporting the A321 fleet's training and checking program.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh Air 🇸🇦 | $226K–$315K | $170K–$214K | 0% (tax-free) |
| 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.
Riyadh Air captain pay averages about $271K per year (range $226K–$315K), 100% tax-free (no personal income tax). Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Riyadh Air first officer pay averages about $189K per year (range $170K–$214K), 100% tax-free (no personal income tax), rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Yes — there is no personal income tax in the home country, so pilots keep 100% of gross pay. For a Japanese pilot that is roughly 1.5× the take-home of an equivalent ANA / JAL salary, which is taxed around 33%.
First Officer — Boeing 787-9 — Widebody international First Officer. Key requirements — Flight Time: 2,000+ hrs (multi-crew jet); License: Valid ICAO ATPL; Medical: Class 1, unrestricted; English: ICAO Level 5+; Age: Under 59. Recent 12-month flying must meet minimum currency thresholds. See the original posting on Latest Pilot Jobs for full details.
Riyadh Air captains average $271K tax-free, versus roughly $170K pre-tax at ANA / JAL (taxed ~33%). After tax the overseas gap is even wider.
Dividing the annual average by 12, Riyadh Air captains earn about $23K a month and first officers about $16K. 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.
Riyadh Air first officers average $189K and captains $271K — a step of about $82K, or roughly 1.4×. The full range runs $170K to $315K, 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.
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Pilot salary in Saudi Arabia 2 airlines · captain avg $239K