South African Airways (SAA)

SA

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South African Airways (SAA) Airbus A340-300
Photo (resized and cropped): N509FZ / CC BY-SA 4.0

Company

Airline headquartered in South Africa. Founded 1934. Fleet includes the A319-100, A320-200 and A330-300.

Aircraft in service
14 aircraft
Company details3 facts · Fleet · Sources
Headquarters
South Africa
Founded
1934
Aircraft in service
14 aircraft31 March 2025

FleetTypes listed by the airline

  • A319-100
  • A320-200
  • A330-300

SourcesSouth African Airways “Legal Terms”South African Airways “Brief History”South African Airways “06 February 2026 - SAA releases annual results for FY2024/25”South African Airways “Our Aircraft Fleet”

Pay

Taxed (South Africa)

South African Airways (SAA) Captain, estimated annual pay

$178K

South African Airways (SAA) First Officer, estimated annual pay

$75K

Our estimate

Submitted payREAL PAY

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Who it covers, what’s included, and when
Captain
Midpoint, R2,850,000, of the article’s R2.2 Million to over R3.5 Million a year for senior widebody captains.As of: January 2026
First Officer
Midpoint, R100,000 a month, of the article’s R70,000–R130,000 for first officers, × 12.As of: January 2026

SourcesJobrato, “Commercial Airline Pilot Salary in South Africa: SAA, Airlink & Safair Pay Scales”Published 29 January 2026 · checked 30 October 2026

Benefits

Insurance

Medical aid or medical insurance (all employees)

Company annual report (year to March 2025)

  • PensionDefined-contribution retirement fund (Transnet Retirement Fund, all employees)
  • Staff travelDiscounted standby tickets (employees and retirees)

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Destinations & layovers

Some destinationsGrouped by region, not by popularity

18 airports

Sourcesbasis · conditions · date
Conditions
  • Airports in official materials from South African Airways.
  • Destinations confirmed in our research: 18 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 South African Airways (SAA).

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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
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Reviews

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the South African Airways (SAA) captain salary in 2026?

South African Airways (SAA) captain pay is estimated at about $178K per year (the sources do not say whether before or after tax). These are our own estimates from public information, not figures the airline publishes.

What is the South African Airways (SAA) first officer salary?

South African Airways (SAA) first officer pay is estimated at about $75K per year (the sources do not say whether before or after tax), rising with seniority.

What are the requirements to become a South African Airways (SAA) pilot?

Captain / First Officer — International and domestic operations. Johannesburg-based. Key requirements: License Required: ATPL (ICAO-compliant / SACAA approved); English: ICAO Level 4 or above; Type Rating: A330 or B737 preferred. The company’s pilot recruitment guide asks for a South African ATPL (or ATPL theory passes), a multi-engine instrument rating, a Class 1 medical and 1,500+ hours (200 on multi-engine aircraft). Recruitment resumed after the 2020–2021 business rescue process. Be sure to confirm the current situation on the official website.

What is the South African Airways (SAA) pilot salary per month?

We do not publish a monthly figure for South African Airways (SAA). An annual figure divided by twelve is not what lands in a given month — what you are paid moves with the hours you fly.

What is the South African Airways (SAA) pilot pay scale?

We estimate annual pay for South African Airways (SAA) captains at about $178K. That is our own estimate from public information, not a figure South African Airways (SAA) publishes. The sources do not say whether the South African Airways (SAA) figures on this page are before or after tax. The actual figure moves with the aircraft type, years of service and the routes you fly. We estimate annual pay for South African Airways (SAA) first officers at about $75K. That is our own estimate from public information, not a figure South African Airways (SAA) publishes. The sources do not say whether the South African Airways (SAA) figures on this page are before or after tax. The actual figure moves with the aircraft type, years of service and the routes you fly. Source checked 2026-10-30; yen figures are converted for comparison at the rate held as of 2026-08-22, not a live rate.

Is the South African Airways (SAA) pilot salary before or after tax?

The sources do not say whether the South African Airways (SAA) figures on this page are before or after tax. Take-home depends on where you are resident and on your own deductions, so no single percentage applies, and we do not publish one. Airlines based in countries with no personal income tax — the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia — leave more of the same gross figure in your hand.