Highest Paid Pilots....Part Deux

[N tha jungle]

Alright folks, just got this info in the mail today. "2004 Major airline career earnings comparison" Based on a 25 year career, a pilot will earn (pay, bennies, "A" fund, "B" fund, 401k, etc.)......

Delta...................8.1 mil
UPS.....................7.2 mil
FedEx..................6.6 mil
Alaska.................6.3 mil
Northwest...........6.3 mil
United.................5.9 mil
Continental.........5.2 mil
Astar...................5.0 mil
AirborneExpress..4.9 mil
American.............4.9 mil
Southwest..........4.7 mil
ATA.....................4.7 mil
USAir...................3.5 mil
America west......3.0 mil


So whaddya think? How does this campare to what YOU bring home?

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Very nice comparison.

Financial stability is a HUGE benefit that doesn't show up in the numbers. That is in FedEx's and UPS's favor. Transition to 2 pilot planes from 3 pilot are a big deal at cargo carriers now, but not at pax carriers.

I like to think about forecast retirements. I'd rather get the assumptions and accept or reject each one to fit my view of the future...time to upgrade, forecast fleet growith, pay increases under current contracts, contracts coming due, fleet changes. Such as Jetblue's 100 seat planes and Airtran's 135 seat planes on order. A newhire at JetBlue in '05 may fly smaller planes his/her whole carrier than a newhire at Airtran. The opposite of now. I bet his/her pay will follow.


All in all I find the above chart very helpful. One correction, Delta will soon fall under FedEx and UPS.

How much do I make?

36K first year
69K second year

 

[767-300ER]

What I find interesting:

Alaska sitting high at #4. Way to go, guys.

Look at where Southwest sits amongst the bunch. Near the bottom. Guys, you need a raise.

America West earnings are HALF that of Alaska's... Wow.

A flying-under-the-radar Astar freight dog does better than a pilot of the world's largest airline (American).

UPS and FedEx have upcoming contracts the next 2 years which should propel them well ahead of Delta even with no concessions.

What a crazy industry...

 

[UFO]

The USAIRWAYS MEC sent the negotiating committee in to to explore additional relief for the company which includes pay and benefit reductions as well as productivity gains. It is a grim picture and will ensure that USAIRWAYS pilot career compensation retains the bottom rung in your chart. The employees are faced with continued concessions or no job unless things improve rapidly in the industry.
Good luck to us all.

UFO

 

[SWAdude]

Boy talk about the crystal ball!!!

I have about 17 years left and pending any unforseen events, and not flying any extra, I put my total package for salary and retirement only at over 7 mil.

But thats good for me....I upgraded in 6 years and have been flying Captain for 3 years. So I didn't get the big raises for the first third of my time here.

Every airline is likely going to have a different story during a pilots career there.

I was fortunate to have a choice of airlines. And chose one I thought would give me the best overall quality of life which included pay and benefits.

So far I made the right decision.

SWAdude

 

[FLB717]

I know we at AAI are not Majors yet but anyone have the numbers for 25 years at AAI?

 

[Newjetjockey]

I talked to someone who ran numbers on AirTran.

If you upgrade at year 3 (or 4, I can't remember) You will retire with 8.5 mil in your 401k. That assumes the automatic 10% contribution from the company plus 10% from you at 8% interest and hired at 30.

I could be very wrong about this. It is just what I recall from a conversation.

Anyone got a financial calculator?

 

[furloughfodder]

Wow! 8.5 mil at AirTran! That is good. I wonder why they didn't put them at the top of the list there.

Good luck to all!

I talked to someone who ran numbers on AirTran.

If you upgrade at year 3 (or 4, I can't remember) You will retire with 8.5 mil in your 401k. That assumes the automatic 10% contribution from the company plus 10% from you at 8% interest and hired at 30.

I could be very wrong about this. It is just what I recall from a conversation.

Anyone got a financial calculator?

 

[AlbieF15]

Numbers are nice, but a year or two on furlough, seat progression above or behind the "Darby" timeline, and many of these calculations are N/A.

For instance, the JetBlue or SWA guys success will depend a lot on the value of their stock options along the way. That can be great or terrible depending on what happens. At FDX, guys hired at beginning of postal wave are now right seaters on widebodys, skewing earnings UP. Guys who got hired and spent (or will spend...I hope not!) 5 years on the panel of a 727 may make significantly less.

When and if you make your move, your first choice is (like always) the airline that will hire you. However, if you are fortunate enough to have a choice, then variables such as seat progression, company growth, and company stability are likely more important numbers than pay rate/hour. B-funds and retirement plans also need to be scrutinized closely...the old numbers had a career at USAir pretty lucrative but the decimation of their retirement plan likely put them near the bottom.

Again, I don't think comparing 20 year career values is a bad idea, but you just have to know that a few minor change to any of the variables can put a whole lot of changes into the final equation.

Looking forward to going to work is also pretty darned important. Making less in your hometown or living a tough commute for 20 years at a more lucrative carrier are also tradeoffs that much be weighed.

 

[dashtrash]

The airline that needs to up its pilot pay is Frontier. A senior rj capt. Flying as Frontier Jet Express makes more than the most senior Frontier mainline capt.