Airline selectionsASIA
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines pilot selection

Japan Airlines at a glance: key facts with their sources, and practice for the pilot selection.

PilotinQEditorial team · updated 11 Oct 2026

About Japan Airlines

Based in Japan, Japan Airlines is a full-service airline. Its airline codes are JL (IATA) and JAL (ICAO). Its hubs are Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Tokyo Narita (NRT). Japan Airlines flies 151 aircraft (October 2026), among them the Airbus A350-900, Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-300ER and 3 other types. Within the group you will also find Hokkaido Air System, Japan Transocean Air, Spring Japan and ZIPAIR Tokyo, each with its own page on this site.

Japan Airlines runs a cadet route for future pilots: the Flight Crew Trainee (company-sponsored pilot) programme. Pilot vacancies are published on a careers portal, linked in the profile on this page.

Japan Airlines at a glance

IATA / ICAO
JL / JAL1
Country
Japan
Hubs
Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT)1
Fleet
Airbus A350-900, Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 767-300BCF2
Cadet programme
Flight Crew Trainee (company-sponsored pilot)45
GROUP AIRLINES, ACADEMIES AND PROGRAMMESHokkaido Air System · selection guideJapan Transocean Air · selection guideSpring JapanZIPAIR Tokyo · selection guide
Pilot careers siteCadet programme pageOfficial website
SELECTIONPractise the parts most pilot selections share: aptitude tests, maths and physics, English and the interview.Japan Airlines practice plan
SALARYFlight crew, all ranks (group average): 21,527 thousand yen a year (average annual salary of flight crew across the JAL group, 2026-03)Flight crew, all ranks (group average): 20,051 thousand yen a year (average annual salary of flight crew across the JAL group, 2025-03)Cadet pilot (graduate entry): 263,000 yen (period not stated) (salary listed for graduate cadet pilots by JAL recruitment, 2026-03)Japan Airlines pilot salary
SOURCES
  1. 1Wikipedia: Japan Airlines · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  2. 2Wikipedia: Japan Airlines fleet · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  3. 3JAL new graduate and career recruitment site · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  4. 4JAL recruitment requirements: pilot · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  5. 5JAL job introduction: company-sponsored pilot · accessed 11 Oct 2026
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AIRLINE SELECTION · ASIA
Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines pilot selection

PilotinQEditorial team · 11 Oct 2026Start the free lite test

About Japan Airlines

Based in Japan, Japan Airlines is a full-service airline. Its airline codes are JL (IATA) and JAL (ICAO). Its hubs are Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Tokyo Narita (NRT). Japan Airlines flies 151 aircraft (October 2026), among them the Airbus A350-900, Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-300ER and 3 other types. Within the group you will also find Hokkaido Air System, Japan Transocean Air, Spring Japan and ZIPAIR Tokyo, each with its own page on this site.

Japan Airlines runs a cadet route for future pilots: the Flight Crew Trainee (company-sponsored pilot) programme. Pilot vacancies are published on a careers portal, linked in the profile on this page.

Japan Airlines at a glance

IATA / ICAO
JL / JAL1
Country
Japan
Hubs
Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT)1
Fleet
Airbus A350-900, Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 767-300BCF2
Cadet programme
Flight Crew Trainee (company-sponsored pilot)45
GROUP AIRLINES, ACADEMIES AND PROGRAMMESHokkaido Air System · selection guideJapan Transocean Air · selection guideSpring JapanZIPAIR Tokyo · selection guide
Pilot careers siteCadet programme pageOfficial website
SELECTIONPractise the parts most pilot selections share: aptitude tests, maths and physics, English and the interview.Japan Airlines practice plan
SALARYFlight crew, all ranks (group average): 21,527 thousand yen a year (average annual salary of flight crew across the JAL group, 2026-03)Flight crew, all ranks (group average): 20,051 thousand yen a year (average annual salary of flight crew across the JAL group, 2025-03)Cadet pilot (graduate entry): 263,000 yen (period not stated) (salary listed for graduate cadet pilots by JAL recruitment, 2026-03)Japan Airlines pilot salary
SOURCES
  1. 1Wikipedia: Japan Airlines · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  2. 2Wikipedia: Japan Airlines fleet · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  3. 3JAL new graduate and career recruitment site · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  4. 4JAL recruitment requirements: pilot · accessed 11 Oct 2026
  5. 5JAL job introduction: company-sponsored pilot · accessed 11 Oct 2026
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