Many people dream of a pilot career as it seems to offer it all – the thrill of flying, a chance to see the world and a salary that can’t be matched by a 9-5 office job.

While it’s true that life as a commercial pilot can be extremely rewarding financially, this particular career will involve plenty of sacrifices early on, both in terms of the finances involved with advanced pilot training and the time it will take to finally reap the rewards of years of training.

In this guide, we profile the salaries involved with pilot careers.

Pilot Careers: Airline Jobs Salary Guide

Advanced pilot career training can cost as much as £50,000 and above, so naturally you may expect a bumper starting salary to account for this fact.

However, this is not always the case – starting salaries tend to be fairly low, but career advancement will be fairly rapid, with salaries rising swiftly within a couple of years. However, entry level salaries still compare extremely favourably with the average office job.

After only a few years in the job, the majority of commercial airline pilots can expect to earn around £60,000 per year. Salaries may vary depending on the airline. In some cases, a pilot with several years of experience in a captain role can earn over £100,000 a year, although it’s important to state that this level of salary is the exception rather than the norm even for extremely talented airline pilots.

Find pilot careers on Airline Pilot Jobs