An American Airlines pilot left netizens speechless after sharing his annual salary at the airline.
The paycheck of a Boeing 737 captain from American Airlines based in Miami was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the profile Breaking Aviation News & Videos.
Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the pilot in question earns $360 per hour, which totals an impressive $458,000 in one year of work. According to Flying magazine, a pilot typically flies about 75 hours a month, totaling 900 hours per year.
It’s worth noting that a captain at American Airlines earns less than pilots of larger aircraft like the Boeing 777 or the Airbus A350, whose earnings can reach up to $450 per hour.
These figures left netizens completely shocked. “I’m absolutely fine with the guy in charge of the machine holding me 35,000 feet in the air making that much money,” wrote one X user.
“Go get your pilot’s license, kids,” joked another. “When your life is in someone’s hands, you want the most capable person at the controls. I love that captains are well paid and have the training and experience to keep the skies safe,” said a third user.
While many envied the pilot’s salary, others argued that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. “Still, [you] couldn’t pay me $500k to deal with horrible schedules, airports, the general public, constant hotel stays, […] union stuff, delays, etc. I abhor all aspects of commercial air travel. It sounds like a horrible existence,” reflected one commenter.
A Miami-based American Airlines Boeing 737 captain has posted their salary pay statement on reddit, leaving many people speechless.
The pilot’s total year to date compensation was $458K, with the hourly pay being $360+ (flight hours only).
Some comments suggest the pilot isn’t… pic.twitter.com/3yH1Z5zB1s
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 23, 2025
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
