Saudi Arabia's state-owned SkyTeam flag carrier — tax-free pay makes gross salary equal take-home.
An Saudia captain earns an average of $208K per year, typically $170K–$264K. First officers average $113K ($91K–$145K). Pay is tax-free — Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax. Figures are as of March 2026.
Saudia (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) is the state-owned flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, founded in 1945. It flies to the Middle East, Europe, Asia and North America from hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam, and joined SkyTeam in 2012.
Because Saudi Arabia levies zero personal income tax, a pilot's stated salary is effectively net take-home pay — a key draw for foreign crews. The airline is expanding its network ahead of Vision 2030.
* 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 |
$170K–$264K |
$208K | Tax-free |
| First Officer Seniority-based |
$91K–$145K |
$113K | Seniority-based |
Saudi Arabia has zero personal income tax, so these figures are net take-home pay. Converted at USD/JPY=150, SAR/JPY=40. Pay is USD-denominated and tax-free with allowances included. Housing, airport transport and medical insurance are provided separately.
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 | $28K–$46K | est. |
| First Officer — Junior | 3–5 yrs | $91K–$115K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $106K–$130K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $121K–$145K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $170K–$213K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $196K–$238K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $222K–$264K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
From the Jeddah and Riyadh hubs, Saudia serves Europe (London, Paris, Frankfurt), Asia (Japan, Thailand, Malaysia), North America, Africa and destinations across the Middle East. It also operates seasonal Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage flights.
Boeing 777-300ER, 787-9/10 and 737 MAX 8, plus Airbus A321 and A320 — around 150 aircraft in total.
Type rating gained at a Saudi, UAE or Qatari authority or an EASA-approved ATO. Ground school → simulator → LIFUS.
After the type rating, Line Flying Under Supervision alongside an instructor captain — typically around 50–80 legs.
Proficiency checks once or twice a year, supervised by the national authority to ICAO standards.
Seniority- or merit-based. Gulf full-service carriers weigh flight hours and internal assessments heavily, and hire many foreign captains directly.
Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax, so gross salary is effectively net take-home pay.
Company-provided accommodation or a housing allowance; family accompaniment is common.
Free or heavily discounted tickets for the pilot and family, including partner airlines.
Comprehensive medical cover (including dental) for pilot and family; loss-of-license insurance is typical.
Airport-to-home transport service or a transport allowance.
Performance-linked or contract bonus, sometimes paid twice a year.
Hiring status: Saudia has a track record of hiring foreign captains and first officers, though recruitment varies by period. Hiring is expanding ahead of Vision 2030.
Recruitment is expanding under Vision 2030; many roles are filled via agencies.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudia 🇸🇦 | $170K–$264K | $91K–$145K | 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.
Saudia captain pay averages about $208K per year (range $170K–$264K), 100% tax-free (no personal income tax). Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Saudia first officer pay averages about $113K per year (range $91K–$145K), 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%.
Captain & First Officer — Foreign Hire — International flying, Jeddah / Riyadh base. Key requirements — License: ATPL (ICAO / GACA-approved); English: ICAO Level 4+; Min. Hours: 5,000h+ (Captain, guideline); Contract: Fixed-term (2–3 yr renewable). Recruitment is expanding under Vision 2030; many roles are filled via agencies.
Saudia captains average $208K 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, Saudia captains earn about $17K a month and first officers about $9.4K. 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.
Saudia first officers average $113K and captains $208K — a step of about $94K, or roughly 1.8×. The full range runs $91K to $264K, 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