Salary Guide
Captain salary worldwide
Median compensation for captains sits at $195k, with experienced aviation professionals earning up to $273k at flagship airlines, premium MROs, and leading aerospace OEMs.
Low
$140k
entry / emerging markets
Median
$195k
global average
High
$273k
experienced / metro
Demand
95/100
+12% YoY
What drives compensation
A median annual package of $193k is projected for captains in the global aviation market for the current quarter. Starting pay is benchmarked at $139k, while senior practitioners or type-rated leaders earn upwards of $270k.
Hiring outlook
Workforce analytics indicate that captains remain in critical demand within the global aviation market. Active postings are up by 12% over the rolling 12 months, mirroring fleet expansion, new airline launches, and rising pilot demand as legacy crews retire.
Captain salary by city
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Dubai · United Arab Emirates | $254k |
| Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates | $250k |
| Sharjah · United Arab Emirates | $215k |
| Doha · Qatar | $254k |
| Riyadh · Saudi Arabia | $230k |
| Jeddah · Saudi Arabia | $215k |
| Muscat · Oman | $205k |
| Manama · Bahrain | $215k |
| Kuwait City · Kuwait | $234k |
| Singapore · Singapore | $277k |
| Hong Kong · Hong Kong SAR | $283k |
| Bangkok · Thailand | $160k |
| Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia | $172k |
| Jakarta · Indonesia | $152k |
| Manila · Philippines | $140k |
| Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam | $140k |
| Tokyo · Japan | $254k |
| Osaka · Japan | $224k |
| Seoul · South Korea | $234k |
| Shanghai · China | $215k |
| Beijing · China | $205k |
| Shenzhen · China | $211k |
| Taipei · Taiwan | $199k |
| Mumbai · India | $107k |
| Delhi · India | $107k |
| Bangalore · India | $113k |
| Hyderabad · India | $97.5k |
| Chennai · India | $93.6k |
| Kochi · India | $87.8k |
| Kolkata · India | $81.9k |
| London · United Kingdom | $277k |
| Manchester · United Kingdom | $205k |
| Dublin · Ireland | $254k |
| Frankfurt · Germany | $250k |
| Munich · Germany | $254k |
| Hamburg · Germany | $230k |
| Berlin · Germany | $218k |
| Amsterdam · Netherlands | $250k |
| Paris · France | $261k |
| Toulouse · France | $230k |
| Madrid · Spain | $205k |
| Barcelona · Spain | $205k |
| Rome · Italy | $205k |
| Milan · Italy | $224k |
| Zurich · Switzerland | $328k |
| Geneva · Switzerland | $312k |
| Istanbul · Turkey | $172k |
| Vienna · Austria | $226k |
| Copenhagen · Denmark | $254k |
| Stockholm · Sweden | $244k |
| New York · United States | $283k |
| Chicago · United States | $230k |
| Atlanta · United States | $215k |
| Dallas · United States | $218k |
| Los Angeles · United States | $254k |
| Seattle · United States | $257k |
| Miami · United States | $230k |
| Houston · United States | $215k |
| Denver · United States | $224k |
| Washington · United States | $257k |
| Boston · United States | $263k |
| San Francisco · United States | $302k |
| Toronto · Canada | $244k |
| Vancouver · Canada | $250k |
| Montreal · Canada | $215k |
| São Paulo · Brazil | $152k |
| Mexico City · Mexico | $133k |
| Sydney · Australia | $263k |
| Melbourne · Australia | $254k |
| Brisbane · Australia | $238k |
| Auckland · New Zealand | $234k |
| Johannesburg · South Africa | $133k |
| Cape Town · South Africa | $133k |
| Nairobi · Kenya | $97.5k |
| Cairo · Egypt | $107k |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The median salary for a Captain in the global aviation market is around $195k, typically ranging from $140k to $273k based on experience, type ratings, and the type of aviation employer.