Tokyo's own wings, linking the Izu Islands with flights out of Chofu Airfield.
An Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) captain earns an average of $79K per year, typically $63K–$94K. First officers average $47K ($41K–$57K). Figures are gross annual pay, before tax. Figures are as of March 2026.
Shin Chuo Airlines is an independent commuter airline founded in 1953. Based at Chofu Airfield in Chofu City, Tokyo, it operates commuter routes to the islands of the Izu archipelago, including Oshima, Niijima, Kozushima and Miyakejima. Its hallmark is small-capacity transport using light aircraft — the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and the DHC-6 Twin Otter.
As essential everyday transport for the residents of Tokyo's island districts, it is a storied airline that has supported the Izu Islands for more than 70 years. One aspect of its distinctiveness is that it is based not at Haneda or Narita but at Chofu Airfield, an urban light-aircraft airfield. Flying experience on light aircraft contributes to developing a high level of skill as a pilot.
* 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 |
$63K–$94K |
$79K | Pre-tax |
| First Officer Seniority-based |
$41K–$57K |
$47K | Seniority-based |
Compensation is paid in Japanese yen (¥) and the figures the site shows are pre-tax, before Japanese income tax and social insurance are deducted. Bonuses are paid twice a year on independent-company terms. A separate Izu-island route allowance is added for island services, and crews receive light-aircraft specialist and Izu Islands duty allowances on top of base pay. Loss-of-license insurance covering both on-duty and off-duty causes is provided.
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 | $41K–$48K | est. |
| First Officer — Mid | 6–10 yrs | $45K–$52K | est. |
| First Officer — Senior | 11–15 yrs | $50K–$57K | est. |
| Captain — New | 15–18 yrs | $63K–$77K | est. |
| Captain — Mid | 19–24 yrs | $72K–$86K | est. |
| Senior Captain | 25+ yrs | $81K–$94K | est. |
| Management / Instructor / Examiner | — | Data wanted | crowd-sourced |
Operating out of Chofu, the airline's core network links Tokyo to the Izu Islands: Chofu–Oshima (about 25 min), Chofu–Niijima (about 35 min), Chofu–Kozushima (about 40 min) and Chofu–Miyakejima (about 50 min), plus connecting services between the islands. The flying is demanding in character: precision handling of 9-to-19-seat light aircraft; over-water flight and landing technique for islands with mountainous terrain; operating within the special airspace and ATC procedures of Chofu Airfield; and immediate response to changing weather, including turn-back (diversion) decisions.
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan — 9-seat single-engine turboprop; DHC-6 Twin Otter — 19-seat twin-engine turboprop. The home base is Chofu Airfield (CHO hub), and the Izu Islands services function as a lifeline route for island residents.
Type-rating training is conducted on the single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan and the twin-engine DHC-6 Twin Otter. Pilots gain a deep command of the precise, hands-on manual flying and aircraft systems unique to light aircraft.
Training in coping with the complex terrain of the Izu Islands (mountainous, steep terrain) and with maritime weather. Pilots hone precision approaches to small airfields and short takeoff and landing (STOL) technique.
Flight training within the special airspace of the Tokyo metropolitan area (the Yokota control area and Tokyo airspace). Pilots master Chofu Airfield's distinctive operating rules and ATC communication procedures.
Extensive flying experience on light aircraft builds the core airmanship required of a captain. Continuous safety standards are maintained through proficiency checks held once or twice a year.
Discounted air tickets for employees and their families, making day trips and overnight stays in the Izu Islands easy to enjoy.
A Chofu (Tokyo) base lets you enjoy metropolitan life, with good access to the rich nature and beautiful seas of the Izu Islands.
Enrollment in the health insurance society, pilot-specific health-management support, and full loss-of-license insurance.
A retirement-allowance scheme is in place — a stable independent company with a history of more than 70 years.
Extensive flying experience on light aircraft contributes to building core pilot skills and also forms a foundation for a future transition to larger aircraft.
Type-rating training costs are covered by Shin Chuo Airlines, with support schemes also available for obtaining and maintaining light-aircraft qualifications.
Hiring status: Experienced-hire recruitment — check official site (as of March 2026)
Hiring availability varies by period; please check the Shin Chuo Airlines official site. Preference is given to those with light-aircraft experience and a passion for the Izu Islands routes.
| Airline | Captain (range) | First Officer | Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) 🇯🇵 | $63K–$94K | $41K–$57K | ~33% (Japan) |
| 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.
Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) captain pay averages about $79K per year (range $63K–$94K), pre-tax. Figures are reference values based on public data and industry benchmarks.
Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) first officer pay averages about $47K per year (range $41K–$57K), pre-tax, rising with seniority — see the Career Ladder above for the year-by-year breakdown.
Shin Chuo Airlines pilot recruitment — First Officer (F/O) / Captain — experienced-hire. Key requirements — Eligibility: Holder of a Commercial Pilot License (single- or multi-engine, instrument); Location: Chofu Airfield (Chofu City, Tokyo); English requirement: Aviation English Proficiency certification, Level 4 or above. Hiring availability varies by period; please check the Shin Chuo Airlines official site. Preference is given to those with light-aircraft experience and a passion for the Izu Islands routes.
Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) captains average $79K, versus roughly $170K at ANA / JAL. Both figures are pre-tax; Japan applies ~33% income tax.
Dividing the annual average by 12, Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) captains earn about $6.5K 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.
Shin Chuo Airlines (Shin Nichi Aviation) first officers average $47K and captains $79K — a step of about $31K, or roughly 1.7×. The full range runs $41K to $94K, 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 $79K 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 Japan 26 airlines · captain avg $116K