A Southwest pilot captain at the top of the scale was reported at $364.52 an hour on the contract ratified 22 January 2024, or $368.01 as Southwest quoted it. With the contract's 4 percent raises in 2025 and 2026 that comes to about $394 an hour by our arithmetic. Southwest pays by trip, so compare rates with care.
Southwest Airlines pilots are paid from a trip-for-pay structure rather than the straight credit-hour grid used at the legacy carriers, which is why Southwest rates look different from everyone else's and cannot be compared directly without adjustment. On the contract ratified on 22 January 2024, a first-year first officer was reported at about $133.76 per hour, with four scheduled increases since.
Every number below carries its source and its date. For the mechanics that sit underneath all airline pay — credit hours, monthly guarantees, per diem and seniority — read our airline pilot salary guide first; this page deals only with Southwest.
Every 737 Captain Started In A Trainer. The route to that left seat runs through 1,500 hours and an ATP. Fly the first hour with a $229 discovery flight at Van Nuys, or book a free consultation to see the whole route priced.
Southwest Pilot Pay Rates, With Sources
| Seat And Stage | Published Rate | Source And Date |
|---|---|---|
| First officer, first year | About $133.76 per hour | The Dallas Morning News, 25 March 2024 |
| First officer, top of scale, Boeing 737 | $255.17 per hour | The Dallas Morning News, 25 March 2024 |
| Captain, top of scale | $364.52 per hour, or $368.01 as quoted by Southwest | The Dallas Morning News, 25 March 2024 |
| Approximate monthly pay, first-year first officer | About $11,370 | The Dallas Morning News, 25 March 2024 |
Those are 2024 figures. The contract contains scheduled increases that have since been applied, so read them as a floor rather than as the current rate.
The 2024 Contract And Its Scheduled Increases
Southwest's pilots are represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. One Mile at a Time reported on 22 January 2024 that the agreement was ratified that day, runs five years through the end of 2028, and delivers approximately 50 percent in total increases made up of an immediate 29.15 percent followed by 4 percent in 2025, 4 percent in 2026, 4 percent in 2027 and 3.25 percent in 2028.
That schedule lets you do honest arithmetic on the 2024 figures. The calculation below is ours, applied to published rates, and it is not a rate Southwest or the union publishes.
| Seat And Stage | Reported 2024 Rate | After 4 Percent In 2025 And 4 Percent In 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| First officer, first year | $133.76 | About $144.68 |
| First officer, top of scale | $255.17 | About $275.99 |
| Captain, top of scale | $364.52 | About $394.26 |
Treat the right-hand column as an estimate derived from published figures, not as a published rate. If the exact number matters to you, the union contract is the authority.
Why Southwest Rates Do Not Compare Directly
Southwest historically pays on trips rather than on credit hours, which changes what a published number means. One Mile at a Time noted on 22 January 2024 that Southwest's trip-for-pay values need to be multiplied by 1.149 to arrive at an equivalent hourly pay rate. Put a Southwest trip rate side by side with a legacy carrier's credit-hour rate without that adjustment and you will reach the wrong conclusion.
There is a second structural difference. Southwest operates a single aircraft family, the Boeing 737. At United, Delta and American the pay grid has a third axis for aircraft category, and a wide-body captain earns roughly $95 an hour more than a narrow-body captain in the same year of service. Southwest has no equivalent step, so a Southwest captain reaches the top of the available scale sooner and stays there. Whether that is better depends entirely on whether you would ever have held a wide-body seat at the other carrier, which is a seniority question.
How Southwest Compares With The Legacy Carriers
| Airline | Rate | Source And Date |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest | About $133.76 in 2024 | The Dallas Morning News, 25 March 2024 |
| United | $125.52 | Airline Pilot Central, rates effective 1 January 2026, read 13 September 2026 |
| Delta | $118.00 | Air Gazette, 2 June 2026, citing Airline Pilot Central January 2026 tables |
| American | $113.00 | Air Gazette, 2 June 2026, citing Airline Pilot Central January 2026 tables |
Southwest's first-year figure sits at the top of that list even before the 2025 and 2026 increases, which is one reason the carrier has been attractive to pilots leaving regionals. At the top of the scale the ranking reverses, because the legacy carriers have wide-body rates that Southwest does not. The full carrier-by-carrier picture is on best-paying airlines for pilots.
What The Federal Wage Data Says
Outside any one carrier, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $232,140 for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers in May 2025 wage data, with the 10th percentile at $106,710 and the 90th at $463,830. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, airline and commercial pilots, read 13 September 2026; percentile figures as published by O*NET OnLine from 2025 BLS wage data.
What It Takes To Get There
Southwest hires pilots who already hold an airline transport pilot certificate, which requires 1,500 hours of total time under 14 CFR 61.159, including 500 hours cross-country, 100 hours night and 75 hours instrument time. The route from zero starts with the certificates — our airline pilot career program covers every rating through MEI over about nine months for $84,000 — and continues through time-building jobs and normally a regional or cargo carrier before a major.
| Requirement | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot certificate | ATP with Airplane Multiengine Land ratings and an English Proficient limitation | Southwest careers page |
| Medical | First-class, plus any Special Issuance or SODA from the Federal Air Surgeon | Southwest careers page |
| Turbine time, preferred | 500 hours in a fixed-wing turbine aircraft, or a completed Destination 225° pathway | Southwest careers page |
| Recent flying, preferred | Actively flying in two of the last five years | Southwest careers page |
| Captain under Part 121 | An ATP without the 61.167 restriction, a type rating, and 1,000 hours as a Part 121 second in command or a listed equivalent | 14 CFR 121.436 |
| Minimum age, unrestricted ATP | 23 | 14 CFR 61.153(a)(1) |
| Last day in the seat | 65th birthday | 14 CFR 121.383(d), (e) |
| Hiring window | First officer posting closed when checked; the Pilot Talent Community takes sign-ups for future postings | Southwest careers page |
Sources: careers.southwestair.com/pilots and the eCFR (Title 14 current to 8 October 2026), both read 12 October 2026. Southwest's careers page describes its captain and first officer pay as industry-leading but prints no dollar figures, which is why the rates on this page come from the press reports cited.
Southwest operates under Part 121, so 14 CFR 121.383(d) applies: no pilot may serve past their 65th birthday. If you are starting later in life, work through the arithmetic on career change to pilot before you commit money.
Related Reading
- Airline pilot salary guide — credit hours, guarantees and why medians mislead.
- Best-paying airlines for pilots — every major carrier's published rates side by side.
- American Airlines pilot salary — the APA contract and its rates.
- United Airlines pilot salary — the full grid by fleet and year of service.
- Regional versus major airlines — how the progression to a carrier like Southwest works.
Southwest Pilot Salary FAQ
How Much Does A Southwest Pilot Make?
On the contract ratified 22 January 2024, The Dallas Morning News reported a first-year first officer at about $133.76 an hour, a top-of-scale first officer at $255.17 and a top-of-scale captain at $364.52, with Southwest itself quoting $368.01. Four scheduled increases of 4, 4, 4 and 3.25 percent apply across 2025 to 2028, so current rates are higher.
What Is Southwest First-Year Pilot Pay?
About $133.76 an hour in 2024, reported by The Dallas Morning News on 25 March 2024, which the same report put at roughly $11,370 a month. Applying the contract's scheduled 4 percent increases in 2025 and 2026 gives about $144.68 an hour, which is our arithmetic rather than a published rate.
Why Are Southwest Pay Rates Structured Differently?
Southwest pays on a trip-for-pay basis rather than on credit hours. One Mile at a Time noted on 22 January 2024 that Southwest's trip values need to be multiplied by 1.149 to arrive at an equivalent hourly rate, so a direct comparison with a legacy carrier's credit-hour grid is misleading without that adjustment.
How Long Is The Southwest Pilot Contract?
Five years. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association agreement was ratified on 22 January 2024 and runs through the end of 2028, delivering approximately 50 percent in total increases: 29.15 percent immediately, then 4 percent in 2025, 4 percent in 2026, 4 percent in 2027 and 3.25 percent in 2028.
Does Southwest Pay Less Than Delta Or United?
Not at the bottom of the scale. Southwest's published first-year first officer rate is higher than United's $125.52, Delta's $118.00 and American's $113.00. At the top of the scale the legacy carriers pay more because they have wide-body rates, which Southwest does not, as it operates a single Boeing 737 family.
How Many Hours Do You Need To Fly For Southwest?
An airline transport pilot certificate, which requires 1,500 hours of total time under 14 CFR 61.159 including 500 cross-country, 100 night and 75 instrument hours. In practice, major carriers hire pilots with substantially more than the legal minimum, usually after several years at a regional or cargo operator.
When Do Southwest Pilots Retire?
On their 65th birthday. Southwest operates under Part 121, and 14 CFR 121.383(d) bars any Part 121 certificate holder from using the services of a pilot who has reached 65. Paragraph (e) places the same restriction on the pilot directly.
How Much Does A Southwest Captain Make Per Hour?
$364.52 at the top of the scale in 2024, as The Dallas Morning News reported, or $368.01 as Southwest quoted it. Applying the contract's 4 percent raises for 2025 and 2026 gives about $394.26, which is our arithmetic rather than a published rate.
What Are Southwest's Minimum Requirements For Pilots?
An ATP certificate with Airplane Multiengine Land ratings and an English Proficient limitation, and a first-class medical. Southwest prefers 500 hours of fixed-wing turbine time or a completed Destination 225° pathway, and active flying in two of the last five years.
How Many Hours Does A Southwest Captain Need?
Federal rules require 1,000 hours as a Part 121 second in command, or a listed equivalent, before anyone acts as a Part 121 captain under 14 CFR 121.436. Southwest's careers page does not publish its own upgrade timeline, which depends on seniority.
Where This Career Actually Starts
Every rate on this page is 1,500 flight hours and several years away from a first lesson. Start by finding out whether you enjoy flying: a 60-minute discovery flight is $229, you fly it yourself from the left seat, and it is credited in full toward training if you enroll within 24 hours. The two-hour beginner flying lesson is $349, and the airline pilot career program takes you from zero to every rating through MEI in about nine months. To plan the route properly, book a free consultation or call (818) 330-1318 any day between 9 AM and 9 PM. We are at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Main Terminal Unit 108, Van Nuys, CA 91406, at Van Nuys Airport.
