Back in October 2022, 99% of voting pilots approved to authorize a strike. The new agreement includes a 34% increase in pay raises over the life of the contract as well as vacations and benefits for Delta's 15,000 pilots.
People Also Ask
Pilots at Delta Air Lines have approved a new contract that will increase wages 34 percent by 2026 and includes improvements to scheduling, retirement and other benefits, raising the standard for contract negotiations underway at other large U.S. airlines.
Why are Delta pilots paid so much? Smaller airlines face a shortage of pilots as major airlines recruit from their ranks. While the biggest carriers say they have enough pilots, the shortage has given unions leverage to bargain for rich pay increases.
For instance, Southwest Airlines pilots earn an average annual salary of $222,000. However, some Southwest pilots earn as much as $549,000. Similarly, United Airlines pilots earn an average of $205,000. The average Delta Airlines pilot earns $192,000 with top-earners making $526,000.
According to figures from The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for airline pilots is $114,200, but starting pay for a regional airline First Officer could be as little as $28,000, while ending pay for a major airline Captain could be several hundred thousand per year.
$205K. The estimated total pay for a Retired at Delta Air Lines is $205,462 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $139,214 per year.
It's a well-known fact that getting hired at Delta is more difficult than at any other airline. It's because they will deny even the most qualified individual if they don't have the right attitude. It takes more than just a bunch of flight hours to become a Delta Airlines pilot.
Pilots' pay is reaching astronomical levels, with some of the most experienced aviators earning up to $700,000. The industry's pilot shortage is likely to continue for a few years and airlines are negotiating bumper new contracts, which means pay is expected to keep rising.
According to Henriksson, the average salary among 1,300 SAS pilots is 78,000 kronor ($9,424) a month, while the highest earners make 96,000 kronor ($11,599) a month. The Swedish pilots' union has a different view, however. “Once you become a commander you get a wage increase of around 30 percent.
Traditionally a pilot at a regional airline might start out earning less than $50,000 per year, but get hired on by a major airline and that goes up quickly into the six figures, and well over $300,000 for senior captains flying widebody aircraft overseas. Some earn over $400,000.
Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month and work an additional 150 hours per month performing other duties, such as checking weather conditions and preparing flight plans. Pilots have variable work schedules that may include several days of work followed by some days off.
Upon promotion to Captain, though, Delta pilots earn a starting pay of $189,000. The top pay for a Delta Airlines Captain is approximately $205,000, but those flying a Boeing 777 can potentially earn $298,500 per year plus bonuses, or as much as $350,000 in one year.