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How much does a Vietnam Airlines pilot earn?
By the PilotinQ editorial teamUpdated 15 Oct 2026
THE ANSWER55 sec read

Vietnamese pilots at Vietnam Airlines earned an average of 85 million dong a month in 2022, 59% of the 145 million dong paid to foreign pilots at the airline, according to Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress in May 2023.1

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Updated 15 Oct 2026All 6 sources →

Pay by rank

RankPayBasisAs of
Captain, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 205 million to 246 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 124 million to 150 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
Captain, Airbus A321 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 176 million to 236 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, Airbus A321 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 100 million to 135 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
Captain, ATR 72 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 156 million to 186 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, ATR 72 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 75 million to 91 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
All Vietnamese pilots (average)VND 85 million per month1average salary, Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress2022
All foreign pilots (average)VND 145 million per month1average salary, Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress2022

Only amounts with a source and a date are shown.

The route, step by step

What did the 2018 Vietnam Airlines pay scale look like?
Under the scale Vietnam Airlines introduced on 1 June 2018, captains on the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 earned 205 to 246 million dong a month and first officers 124 to 150 million dong. On the A321, captains earned 176 to 236 million dong and first officers 100 to 135 million dong, and on the ATR captains earned 156 to 186 million dong and first officers 75 to 91 million dong. These are pre-tax figures, averaged over the year per month, and date from 2018. Examiners (DPE) earned 210 to 297 million dong and type rating instructors (TRI) 198 to 284 million dong a month.2
How has average pilot pay changed?
The average Vietnam Airlines pilot earned 132.5 million dong a month in 2018, according to the airline's listing prospectus. In 2020 the airline planned to cut average pilot pay by more than 52% to 77 million dong a month because of the pandemic. For 2022 the average for Vietnamese pilots was 85 million dong, and the plan for 2023, 2024 and 2025 was 115.6 million, 128 million and 134.8 million dong a month. In its 2025 annual report the airline said average pay for all employees of the parent company was 25% higher than before the pandemic.1345
Do foreign pilots earn more at Vietnam Airlines?
Yes. Foreign pilots, hired through partner contracts, averaged 145 million dong a month in 2022, and the projection for 2023 to 2025 was 268.4 to 279.2 million dong a month. In 2018 a foreign Boeing 787 captain earned 265 to 268 million dong a month after tax, and the airline said Vietnamese pilots earned about 70% of foreign pilots after tax. A government decree of 23 August 2023 allowed the airline to set a supplementary wage fund for Vietnamese pilots, based on the gap with foreign pilots in the same role. Since 2025 a new decree has let the airline keep a separate wage fund for Vietnamese pilots and pay them at market rates.1256
How many pilots does Vietnam Airlines employ?
At the end of 2025 Vietnam Airlines had 1,055 operating pilots including VASCO, made up of 532 captains and 523 first officers. In 2025 it upgraded 20 first officers to captain.5
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SALARY

How much does a Vietnam Airlines pilot earn?

By the PilotinQ editorial teamUpdated 15 Oct 2026
THE ANSWER55 sec read

Vietnamese pilots at Vietnam Airlines earned an average of 85 million dong a month in 2022, 59% of the 145 million dong paid to foreign pilots at the airline, according to Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress in May 2023.1

Was this useful?
Updated 15 Oct 2026All 6 sources →

Pay by rank

RankPayAs of
Captain, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 205 million to 246 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 124 million to 150 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
Captain, Airbus A321 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 176 million to 236 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, Airbus A321 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 100 million to 135 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
Captain, ATR 72 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 156 million to 186 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
First officer, ATR 72 (Vietnamese, 2018 scale)VND 75 million to 91 million per month2pre-tax, annual average, 2018 scale introduced by the airline, reported by VnExpress2018-06
All Vietnamese pilots (average)VND 85 million per month1average salary, Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress2022
All foreign pilots (average)VND 145 million per month1average salary, Labour Ministry figures reported by VnExpress2022

Only amounts with a source and a date are shown.

Step by step

What did the 2018 Vietnam Airlines pay scale look like?
Under the scale Vietnam Airlines introduced on 1 June 2018, captains on the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 earned 205 to 246 million dong a month and first officers 124 to 150 million dong. On the A321, captains earned 176 to 236 million dong and first officers 100 to 135 million dong, and on the ATR captains earned 156 to 186 million dong and first officers 75 to 91 million dong. These are pre-tax figures, averaged over the year per month, and date from 2018. Examiners (DPE) earned 210 to 297 million dong and type rating instructors (TRI) 198 to 284 million dong a month.2
How has average pilot pay changed?
The average Vietnam Airlines pilot earned 132.5 million dong a month in 2018, according to the airline's listing prospectus. In 2020 the airline planned to cut average pilot pay by more than 52% to 77 million dong a month because of the pandemic. For 2022 the average for Vietnamese pilots was 85 million dong, and the plan for 2023, 2024 and 2025 was 115.6 million, 128 million and 134.8 million dong a month. In its 2025 annual report the airline said average pay for all employees of the parent company was 25% higher than before the pandemic.1345
Do foreign pilots earn more at Vietnam Airlines?
Yes. Foreign pilots, hired through partner contracts, averaged 145 million dong a month in 2022, and the projection for 2023 to 2025 was 268.4 to 279.2 million dong a month. In 2018 a foreign Boeing 787 captain earned 265 to 268 million dong a month after tax, and the airline said Vietnamese pilots earned about 70% of foreign pilots after tax. A government decree of 23 August 2023 allowed the airline to set a supplementary wage fund for Vietnamese pilots, based on the gap with foreign pilots in the same role. Since 2025 a new decree has let the airline keep a separate wage fund for Vietnamese pilots and pay them at market rates.1256
How many pilots does Vietnam Airlines employ?
At the end of 2025 Vietnam Airlines had 1,055 operating pilots including VASCO, made up of 532 captains and 523 first officers. In 2025 it upgraded 20 first officers to captain.5
SOURCES
  1. 1Vietnamese pilots paid 59% of foreign colleagues at the same airlineVnExpress · published 10 May 2023 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
  2. 2Vietnam Airlines pilots get new pay ratesVnExpress · published 6 Jun 2018 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
  3. 3Vietnam Airlines pilot pay averages more than 132 million dongVnExpress · published 18 Apr 2019 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
  4. 4Vietnam Airlines pilot and cabin crew income halvedVnExpress · published 5 Aug 2020 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
  5. 5Annual report 2025Vietnam Airlines · published 2026 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
  6. 6Vietnam Airlines allowed to pay Vietnamese pilots moreVnExpress · published 23 Aug 2023 · accessed 15 Oct 2026
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