In order to safely transport passengers to their destinations, commercial airline pilots must possess a unique set of talents: They need to know the necessary physics and mathematics to operate an aircraft as well as have the interpersonal skills to communicate with everyone on board and on the ground.
Plus, they need to look cool in aviator sunglasses — after all, they were created by the Army especially for them.
In return for their extensive training, experience, and talent for performing under pressure, pilots are rewarded with lucrative salaries that place them at the top of the career ladder; it’s not uncommon for a pilot at Delta Air Lines (DAL) with a decade of experience to be making over half a million dollars per year.
In fact, Delta set a new standard for pilot salaries when its union finalized a new contract in 2023, giving pilots an immediate 18% pay increase, followed by a 5% raise in 2024, a 4% increase in 2025, and another 4% boost in 2026, for a total of 34% in pay upgrades.
This places Delta’s pilots among the best-paid workers in the airline industry, a role Delta brass says is well deserved. That makes sense, as Delta is one of the few airlines known for maintaining good labor relations and has historically worked quickly and efficiently to reach agreements with its pilot’s union.
“From the beginning of the negotiations process, we set out to deliver the industry’s best pilot contract to the industry’s best pilots, one that keeps us as a top destination for U.S. aviation careers, and this contract is a reflection of that unwavering commitment,”
—Delta operations chief John Laughter, March 1, 2023 press conference
In addition to soaring salaries, Delta pilots also receive cushy benefits like free travel and profit-sharing bonuses; plus, they get to enjoy the world’s very best office views — straight from their cockpits.
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What is Delta Airlines?
Established in 1925, Delta was originally a crop-dusting operation that evolved through the years, and many mergers, into largest airline in the world, generating $53.99 billion in revenues in 2023.
Delta’s 16,700 pilots operate more than 4,000 flights a day to over 280 global destinations, according to the Air Line Pilots Association.
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How does airline pilot compensation work?
Pilot pay is based on the number of hours they fly per month and the type of aircraft they operate (and federal law prohibits them from flying more than 1,000 hours per year to ensure that they are well-rested when they operate their aircraft). Every flight must have one captain, who is the pilot in charge, and one first officer, who is a captain-in-training.
A pilot’s time clock actually begins when their airplane leaves the gate; it gets punched out when the plane arrives at its destination. This is known as “block time.” Delta pilots have a reserve guarantee of 74 hours per month. They also receive a per diem.
How much do Delta pilots make?
Indeed uses a combination of employee submissions and data from job postings to report that the average Delta pilot's yearly salary is $214,586. Other online sources list Delta’s top pilots making as much as $526,000 per year.
Here’s a look at Delta’s actual payscale for its Captains and First Officers compared to the other top-paying airlines. Delta pays best in nearly every category.
Top Captain salaries
| Airline | Year 1 | Year 6 | Year 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines |
$331,010 |
$354,500 |
$469,550 |
Delta Air Lines |
$340,360 |
$354,550 |
$447,240 |
JetBlue |
$317,600 |
$341,710 |
$447,240 |
Southwest Airlines |
$334,000 |
$347,000 |
$364,000 |
United Airlines |
$323,000 |
$336,000 |
$352,000 |
Top First Officer salaries
| Airline | Year 1 | Year 6 | Year 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
American Airlines |
$116,050 |
$231,160 |
$320,780 |
Delta Air Lines |
$125,520 |
$250,020 |
$276,560 |
JetBlue |
$94,000 |
$167,000 |
$189,000 |
Southwest Airlines |
$133,000 |
$236,000 |
$255,000 |
United Airlines |
$91,000 |
$219,000 |
$240,000 |
Where are Delta's headquarters and pilot bases?
Delta’s main headquarters is in Atlanta, so you’ll find plenty of staffers living in the Peach State.
Delta also has established pilot bases in following cities:
- Atlanta
- Detroit
- Los Angeles
- Minneapolis-St. Paul
- New York City
- Salt Lake City
- Seattle
What kind of aircraft do Delta pilots fly?
In order to keep their costs down, Delta is known for using older-generation aircraft, although they are usually so well refurbished that passengers don’t notice the difference.
Delta’s aircraft have an average of 17 years of service, compared with 11 at American, 12 at Southwest, and 14 at United. Forbes says this smart business strategy puts Delta a nose ahead of many of its competitors.
Delta’s lineup includes short and medium-range aircraft like the Airbus A220 and the Boeing 717, both of which hold around 100 passengers, as well as larger airplanes such as the Boeing 757 and 767, and the Airbus A350s, all of which can seat more than 200 people.
Notice there aren’t any Boeing 737 MAX jets — another smart (albeit unknowingly) move on Delta’s part.
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What are Delta pilots’ benefits?
There are a lot of perks to working at Delta. Right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in January 2020, Delta paid all of its employees an extra two month’s salary as a bonus for being profitable. CEO Ed Bastian said, “Delta would be nothing without our 90,000 people.”
Pilots also receive free travel on both domestic and international flights, health insurance, disability benefits, life insurance, a 401(k) with up to 6% employer matching, and a free gym membership.
Why is now a good time to be a Delta pilot?
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the airline industry: According to research published by the National Institute of Health, 90% of all flights were canceled in March 2020, and even after U.S. travel restrictions were lifted by President Biden in November 2021, traveler reluctance made recovery painfully slow.
It took until the end of 2023, 45 months after initial lockdowns, for air travel to return to its 2019 levels.
Along the way, airlines hemorrhaged cash: According to McKinsey & Company, their combined losses reached a staggering $168 billion. One (very) short-sighted way the airlines tried to reduce their costs was by suspending the training and hiring of pilots. They also offered experienced pilots early retirement packages — and many took them and never looked back.
But as traveler demand rebounded, the airline industry faced huge pilot shortages: 16,000 pilots in 2022 alone, and another 14,500 pilots in 2023. This left hundreds of perfectly good airplanes grounded on tarmacs, just waiting for someone to fly them.
Pilot’s unions, like Delta’s, used the shortage to their advantage during their contract negotiations, but the good news is that demand for pilots is projected to remain strong for the long term — and that spells job stability.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the industry will be adding more than 15,000 pilot jobs per year through 2032, at least.
This means that there’s never been a better time to begin a career as a commercial airline pilot, as airlines continue to woo pilots through juicy salaries and have even taken steps to reduce some of the industry’s barriers to entry.
Do Delta pilots need a 4-year degree?
For example, in 2022, major carriers, including Delta, United Airlines, and American Airlines, eliminated the 4-year aviation degree as a hiring requirement, focusing instead on more practical skills, like flight experience. (They do note that obtaining a 4-year degree is still highly preferred; it’s just no longer required).
Related: Boeing's turbulent descent: The company’s scandals & mishaps explained
Does Delta offer pilot training?
Delta has also created its own pilot training program to help identify and develop the next generation of pilots. Launched in 2017, its Propel Flight Academy offers private, instrument, commercial, and certified flight instructor training courses in a 12,000 square-foot training facility in Vero Beach, Florida. Starting with just six pilot candidates in 2018, the program welcomed 61 candidates in 2023.
Student pilots who complete the program are certified as flight instructors with Delta’s Skyborne Airline, where they continue to train until they reach 1,500 flight hours. They then begin their employment as a first officer.
In addition, student pilots receive $20,000 in tuition benefits, and Delta covers the cost of any private student loans they take out.
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How do I become a Delta pilot?
Apply for a pilot position on Delta’s careers page.
In order to get your Delta wings, pilots must have met all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, which include obtaining a commercial pilot’s license with instrument ratings and passing the Airline Transport Pilot written exam. They also must have the requisite 1,500 hours of documented flight time.
If their application is successful, a candidate must present themself at a panel interview. They are encouraged to bring their logbooks (kept in an organized fashion) for review.
Once they accept their offer and complete the pre-employment screening, new Delta pilots go through a two-week training program that introduces them to Delta policies and culture. They also must successfully complete Delta’s flight simulator as well as other interactive training programs.
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