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Pilot pay varies widely by airline and by rank. We estimate ANA Captains at about $170K and First Officers at about $113K, with JAL at a similar level — our own estimates from public information. Japan Airlines publishes an average annual salary of $126K for flight crew — Captains and First Officers counted together — for the year to March 2025, and Skymark Airlines publishes $104K for its 290 flight crew. Emirates quotes a direct-entry Captain at $157K in cash a year, with a total package worth $323K (both tax-free). At the major U.S. carriers we estimate Delta Captains at about $388K, United Captains at about $398K and American Captains at about $373K, and it is not unusual for senior Captains to peak above $503K.

We estimate ANA Captains at about $170K and First Officers at about $113K. That is our own estimate from public information, not a figure ANA publishes. The range is roughly $138K–$220K for Captains and $88K–$132K for First Officers. The only figures the company publishes are the starting monthly salaries of its own cadet programme: about $1.8K a month for a master’s graduate and about $1.7K for a bachelor’s or KOSEN advanced-course graduate. See full ANA pilot salary details →

What JAL publishes in its annual securities report is a single flight-crew average. Group consolidated, it is $126K for the year to March 2025 and $123K for the year to March 2024. Flight crew means Captains and First Officers counted together, so this is not the average for either rank on its own. By rank, we estimate JAL Captains at about $170K and First Officers at about $113K — our own estimates from public information. JAL (Japan Airlines) operates an extensive international and domestic network, and is known for stable employment and a well-developed training system. See full JAL pilot salary details →

There are three main routes into an airline pilot career.

① Company-sponsored cadet program: The airline covers the entire cost of training. ANA, JAL and others take on several dozen cadets a year, and competition can exceed 100 applicants per place.
② Self-funded training (flight school): Train at an overseas flight school, then job-hunt. Expect costs of around $126K–$189K.
③ Experienced-hire recruitment: Moving across from another operator or from the JSDF. Licenses already held and logged flight hours are what count.

Credentials required: a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), an instrument rating, and English proficiency (ICAO Level 4 or above). See pay by airline →

The carriers recruiting internationally most actively are Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Emirates quotes a direct-entry Captain: $157K in cash a year, with a total package worth $323K (both tax-free). Cathay Pacific gives First Officers a target of $123K a year, which is a target and not a guarantee, and we estimate Cathay Pacific Captains at about $226K. We estimate Qatar Airways Captains at about $182K and Singapore Airlines Captains at about $214K, from public information.

Middle Eastern and Asian carriers are hiring internationally, and you can apply with an ATPL, the required flight time (typically 1,500–2,500 hours or more) and English proficiency (ICAO Level 4 or above). Benefits are generous too, including housing allowance, medical cover and staff travel. See pay at overseas airlines →

Pay rises sharply on upgrade from First Officer to Captain, but we estimate Captains at ANA and JAL at about $170K and First Officers at about $113K — our own estimates from public information. What Japan Airlines publishes is a single flight-crew average of $126K for the year to March 2025 — Captains and First Officers counted together — which cannot be split by rank. Overseas it is clearer: Emirates quotes a Standard First Officer at $105K in cash a year and a direct-entry Captain at $157K in cash a year, both tax-free.