American Airlines pilot’s eye-watering paycheck goes viral: ‘The reaction here is embarrassing’
The internet is going wild after an American Airlines pilot revealed their nearly half-million-dollar annual pay — and travel experts say the aviator didn’t even max out their earning potential.
On Monday, the pilot posted a pay slip on Reddit that showed a full breakdown of their income — detailing their $361-an-hour base rate, and even compensation for random alcohol and drug testing.
For the bi-weekly paycheck for November 16 and December 1, the pilot made $35,963.66. The biggest chunk came from their 95 hours flying the plane, where they made $26,162.09.
American Airlines’ profit-sharing program added another $3,638.70 to the captain’s paycheck. Another $3,805.78 went to ‘premium incentives,’ which typically means the pilot flew late at night.
The stub also showed the pilot’s year-to-date earnings: $457,894.51.
‘This dude makes what I make in a month in a day,’ one commenter said. Another quipped: ‘I need to make a career change. Is it okay that I’m already 33?’
But others defended the salary. ‘The reaction here is embarrassing,’ one user wrote.
‘A pilot makes nearly 500k, and suddenly people are tripping over themselves to explain why they don’t deserve what they earn.’
Airline pilots are some of the highest-paid workers in the US – but their job requires tons of training and near constant check-ups with regulators
A pilot shared their paystub on Reddit, shocking social media with a nearly half-million-dollar annual salary
They added: ‘Pilots have strong unions, rare skills, years of training, and massive responsibility, and they collectively negotiated pay that reflects that.’
Meanwhile, Ben Schlappig, a travel expert who publishes the One Mile At A Time airline and hotel blog, wrote that the pilot could have made a lot more.
He points out the pilot flew a Boeing 737, one of the smaller domestic flight planes in American airspace.
If the pilot jumped over to the larger Boeing 777, their hourly rate would bump more than 24 percent to $447 per hour.
That would have raised the pilot’s November flying salary to $54,534. That’s about $10,000 off from the average American’s yearly salary.
Plus, all three major airlines — Delta, American, and United — all add profit-sharing incentives in their pilot contracts.
In 2025, Delta was the most profitable airline, meaning its pilots raked in more cash than those flying other planes. Schlappig says the pilot would have earned more if he worked for the company.
But several Reddit commenters pointed out that strapping into a major airline’s cockpit takes years of training and sacrifice.
American Airlines participates in a profit-sharing program for its pilots, adding to the captain’s sky-high earnings. Above is a stock photo of a pilot.
American Airlines’ CEO, Robert Isom, who took over March 2022, is overseeing a major turnaround at the airline after its profits lagged behind Delta and United
To get a pilot’s license, aeronauts have to spend between nine and ten months in flight school and take out an estimated $100,000 in student loans.
After school, pilots must log 1,500 hours of flight time, generally in smaller airspace.
They also have to undergo a list of medical and mental health checks throughout their careers: pilots must have near-perfect vision without contact lenses, require few medications, and have no disabilities.
The pilot’s paystub also includes pay for their monthly randomized alcohol and drug tests.
‘You need to be pretty much a nice little Eagle Scout all the time,’ one Redditor commented.
