Jaw-Dropping Pay: American Airlines Pilot’s Salary Goes Viral
A viral American Airlines pilot salary screenshot shows a captain earning $458,000 a year, sparking shock, debate, and career envy across social media.
Pilots' salaries depend on the airline they work for and the number of hours they fly in a year.
According to a pay stub from an American Airlines captain shared on X, the earning potential for pilots is so high that it would make most people reconsider their career choices.
The screenshot of the pay stub is believed to be from an American Airlines Boeing 737 captain based in Miami. If you look closely, you can see the pilot's annual salary is a staggering $458,000.
One reason this pilot earns so much is likely their high hourly rate, which is approximately $360, and that's not even the highest-paying category for pilots.
Captains of larger aircraft like the Boeing 777 or Airbus A350 can earn up to $450 per hour. According to Flying, if the average pilot flies approximately 900 hours per year, or 75 hours per month, do the math — and that's a substantial salary they're earning.
Before you think pilots can fly unlimited hours to earn more, their hours are limited by federal regulations.
As reported by Flying, other factors such as rest between flights, hours spent on pre- and post-flight duties, and whether a pilot has seniority at a particular airline are also taken into account when determining how many hours they are allowed to fly.
When Breaking Aviation News & Videos shared the pay stub on X, commenters couldn't believe their eyes, and many agreed that pilots deserve such high salaries given the seriousness of their job.
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"I have no problem with the person who is flying me 35,000 feet in the air making that much money," one commenter wrote.
Another commenter jokingly said, "Go get your pilot's license, kids." Someone else said, "When your life is in someone's hands, you want the most competent person at the controls. I like that captains are well-paid, and that they have the training and expertise to keep the skies safe."
Yet, others claimed that despite the high earnings, they didn't envy the things pilots have to deal with. "Still, you couldn't pay me $500k to deal with the terrible schedules, airports, the general public, constant hotel stays, union nonsense, delays, etc. I dislike every aspect of commercial air travel. It sounds like a miserable life," another person joked.
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