How are Southwest pilots paid?

Southwest is the only airline that pays its pilots per trip, using a trip-for-pay formula, and an equivalent hourly rate is calculated to compare it with other carriers, according to the Dallas Morning News. The airline flies only Boeing 737 aircraft, so pilots do not move up to larger types for higher pay as they can elsewhere.14

What does a Southwest first officer earn?

A first-year first officer would make approximately $133.76 an hour under the union's calculations, the Dallas Morning News reported; aviation consultant Kit Darby told the paper he estimated this at about $11,370 a month on average, which is his estimate rather than a figure from the pay scale. A top-of-scale first officer earned $255.17 an hour in 2024. First officer pay is a percentage of captain pay that rises from 55% in the second year to 70% by the 12th year.1

What does a Southwest captain earn?

Top-of-scale captains made $364.52 an hour in 2024, according to the Dallas Morning News, while Southwest put the figure closer to $368.01. Aviation consultant Kit Darby told the paper this would mean about $371,808 a year on average, an estimate of his rather than a pay scale figure.1

What retirement and other benefits come with the job?

Southwest's careers site lists 17% non-elective retirement contributions plus 1% in a market based cash balance plan after the first year, increasing to 18% and 2% in 2026. The annual report for 2025 confirms that the cash balance plan, introduced for pilots in 2024, credits 2 percent of eligible wages for payroll periods ending on or after January 1, 2026. The airline also lists company-provided disability cover protecting up to 100% of income.23

What is the schedule like?

Southwest says lineholder pilots average 17.6 days off per month and reserve pilots 15, with an average flight of two hours and 30 minutes, figures it bases on 2021. It does not use preferential bidding, and a monthly vacancy bid allows pilots to change domicile up to 12 times a year.2

What is in the current pilot contract?

In January 2024, Southwest pilots approved a five-year contract worth $12 billion that boosted pay by 50% over the deal, the Dallas Morning News reported. According to the annual report for 2025, Southwest had about 10,321 full-time equivalent pilots, whose union is the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, and the agreement is amendable in January 2029.13

What does Southwest require from applicants?

Applicants need an FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate with a multi-engine land rating and an FAA first class medical; Southwest prefers 500 turbine hours on fixed-wing aircraft, or a completed Destination 225° pathway. New first officers have 50 days to complete initial training, including the Boeing 737 type rating. In October 2026 the first officer application was closed.2

How does this compare with US pilots generally?

For the US occupation of airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the May 2025 median annual wage at $232,140, a national figure across all employers.5