Saudia

SV

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Pay

Tax-free (no personal income tax in Saudi Arabia)

Saudia Captain, estimated annual pay

$208K

Saudia First Officer, estimated annual pay

$113K

Our estimate

Submitted payREAL PAY

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Who it covers, what’s included, and when
Captain
Our estimate
Captain, B747 Classic / MD-11 (2005, monthly basic pay)
$5.2KSAR 19,587 basic pay, monthly
Captain, EMB170 (2005, monthly basic pay)
$4.3KSAR 16,107 basic pay, monthly
First Officer
Our estimate
First officer, B747 Classic / MD-11 (2005, monthly basic pay)
$3.6KSAR 13,475 basic pay, monthly
  • This is a 2005 advert. It is not current pay.
  • What we show is the Monthly Base Pay only. The airline itself lists 21 further items as benefits "over and above Base pay".
  • The airline states a "12.3 months tax free salary" and guaranteed monthly flying hours of 65–75 depending on aircraft group.
  • The contract is three years renewable, with a completion bonus of US$1,432 a month for captains and US$591.25 for first officers.
  • Education subsidy is for in-Kingdom schooling, up to three children. Applicants must be under 53 (53–55 requires the relevant FAA type rating).

SourcesSaudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines, own site), “Advert – Captains”2005 (copyright line), archived 16 March 2006 · checked 29 September 2026

Jobs

Airline’s careers page
Cadet flight hours required
240 hours or more (25 on multi-engine aircraft)Cadet Program vacancy (17 October 2026)
Applications
Hiring cadets (Cadet Program; Saudi nationals only)The company’s vacancy (posted 17 October 2026)
Sources1

Saudia “Saudia Cadet Program”checked 19 October 2026

Destinations & layovers

Some destinationsGrouped by region, not by popularity

7 airports

Sourcesbasis · conditions · date
Conditions
  • Airports on international segments to and from the US flown by Saudia scheduled passenger flights in the US DOT (BTS) July 2026 traffic data and in other airlines’ materials.
  • Destinations confirmed in our research: 7 airports, as of 29 October 2026. This may not be every destination. It does not show which aircraft types or bases fly there, or whether crews lay over.
  • Sorted by region (cities with a photo first), not by popularity or number of flights.
As of
Checked in our research on 29 October 2026
Photo credits2

Tell us one thing about Saudia.

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Answers so far

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Roster10 questions
Commuting and taxis8 questions
Staff Travel10 questions
Upgrade to captain4 questions
Training and career8 questions
Leave and allowances9 questions
Hotels and restaurantsBy destination · pilots only

Reviews

Member posts: —
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Saudia captain salary in 2026?

Saudia captains earn about $208K a year on our estimate, and Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax, so that is close to take-home. The airline's own figure is the Monthly Base Pay printed in a 2005 advert on its own site: SAR 19,587 a month (about $5.2K) for a B747 Classic / MD-11 captain and SAR 16,107 (about $4.3K) for an EMB170 captain. The airline itself lists 21 further items as benefits "over and above Base pay", so they are not in that figure. It is a 2005 advert, not current pay. Source checked on 2026-09-29.

What is the Saudia first officer salary?

Saudia first officers earn about $113K a year on our estimate, and Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax, so that is close to take-home. The airline's own figure is the Monthly Base Pay printed in a 2005 advert: SAR 13,475 a month (about $3.6K) for a B747 Classic / MD-11 first officer. The 21 further items the airline lists separately are not in that figure. It is a 2005 advert, not current pay.

Is Saudia pilot pay really tax-free?

Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax, so pay is effectively take-home. The 2005 advert itself says "12.3 months tax free salary". On our estimate captains are at about $208K a year and first officers about $113K, and with no income tax that is close to what reaches your account. Your own residency and tax position needs separate advice.

What are the requirements to become a Saudia pilot?

We have not verified a current requirement set. The 2005 advert states that applicants must be under 53 (53 to 55 requires the relevant FAA type rating), that the contract is three years and renewable, and that guaranteed monthly flying hours are 65 to 75 depending on aircraft group. Those are the conditions of a 2005 advert, not current requirements.

What is the Saudia pilot salary per month?

Captain, B747 Classic / MD-11 (2005, monthly basic pay): basic pay, monthly $5.2K; Captain, EMB170 (2005, monthly basic pay): basic pay, monthly $4.3K; First officer, B747 Classic / MD-11 (2005, monthly basic pay): basic pay, monthly $3.6K. These are the monthly figures the airline publishes, not an annual figure divided by twelve. Twelve times the monthly figure does not equal the published annual figure, and we leave both as published. A total package that includes housing and school fees divided by twelve is not a monthly salary.

What is the Saudia pilot pay scale?

This is a 2005 advert. It is not current pay. Source checked 2026-09-29; yen figures are converted for comparison at the rate held as of 2026-08-22, not a live rate.