Last Updated: February 2026 | Data sourced from BLS, Glassdoor, Salary.com, AirlinePilotCentral & verified aviation industry contracts.
How Much Do Pilots Make in New York?
The average pilot salary in New York in 2026 sits between $141,000 and $197,000 per year for airline pilots, depending on rank, airline, and experience. Senior captains flying wide-body jets out of JFK or Newark can earn $350,000 to over $450,000 annually. First officers at regional carriers start closer to $75,000–$100,000.
That range is wide — and intentionally so. A first-year first officer at a regional airline commuting through LaGuardia is living a very different financial reality than a 15-year Delta captain operating out of JFK on a 777.
Here’s the full breakdown.
Why New York Is a Unique Market for Pilots?
New York is one of the most pilot-dense aviation markets in the world. The metro area is served by three major airports: John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International (EWR) — together handling over 130 million passengers annually.
The airlines based or heavily operating out of New York include:
- JetBlue Airways – headquartered in Long Island City, primary hub at JFK
- Delta Air Lines – major hub at JFK (transatlantic and domestic)
- American Airlines – hub operations at JFK and LGA
- United Airlines – primary hub at Newark Liberty
- Atlas Air – cargo giant headquartered in Purchase, NY, with JFK operations
- Regional feeders – Republic Airways, Envoy Air, Mesa Airlines, and others
This concentration of major carriers means New York pilots have more airline options than almost any other state. It also means cost of living plays a significant role in real take-home pay — something worth understanding before accepting a base assignment here.
Pilot Salary in New York: By Role and Experience
Entry-Level First Officer (Regional Airlines)
Most pilots entering New York’s aviation market start at regional carriers. These airlines operate under code-shares with major airlines, connecting smaller cities to New York’s hubs.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Year 1 FO | $75,000 – $100,000 |
| Year 3 FO | $90,000 – $115,000 |
| Captain (upgrade) | $120,000 – $140,000 |
Regional airlines like Republic Airways, Envoy Air, and Mesa have dramatically raised starting pay over the past three years due to the ongoing pilot shortage. Sign-on bonuses of $20,000 to $50,000 are now common. Some regional carriers also offer flow-through agreements that guarantee pilots a path to the major airline parent.
First Officers at Major Airlines
Once a pilot moves to a major carrier — Delta, United, American, or JetBlue — the pay picture changes dramatically.
| Airline | FO Year 1 | FO Year 5 | FO Year 10+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | ~$106,000 | ~$205,000 | ~$222,000 |
| American Airlines | ~$106,000 | ~$190,000 | ~$222,000 |
| United Airlines | ~$115,000 | ~$195,000 | ~$220,000 |
| JetBlue Airways | ~$85,000 | ~$130,000 | ~$150,000 |
Based on approximately 75 flight hours per month. Figures reflect base pay only.
The gap between JetBlue and the legacy Big Three is notable. JetBlue, while still a strong employer with its JFK base and competitive benefits, doesn’t match Delta, United, or American on raw pay scales.
Captain Salaries in New York
This is where pilot compensation gets genuinely impressive. Wide-body captains at the legacy carriers operating out of JFK and Newark are among the highest-paid aviation professionals in the country.
| Airline | Captain Year 1 | Captain (Senior) | Total Comp (Peak) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | ~$313,000 | ~$341,000 | $400,000–$500,000+ |
| American Airlines | ~$405,000 | ~$460,000 | $480,000–$500,000+ |
| United Airlines | ~$350,000 | ~$420,000 | $450,000+ |
| JetBlue Airways | ~$190,000 | ~$270,000 | $280,000+ |
| Atlas Air (cargo) | ~$200,000 | ~$350,000 | $370,000+ |
Senior captain figures include profit-sharing, per diem, and premium pay. Atlas Air data reflects wide-body cargo operations.
The BLS median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers nationally is $226,600 as of 2025 data. New York’s averages track above that, primarily because of the concentration of major-carrier captain roles in the metro area.
What’s Included Beyond Base Salary?
Base hourly rate gets the headlines. The full compensation package is what makes commercial aviation one of the most lucrative careers in the United States.
Per diem: Pilots receive a daily allowance when away from their home base — typically $2.00 to $4.50 per hour away from base, which adds $7,000 to $15,000 annually for most active schedules.
Profit-sharing: Delta and Southwest are well known for their profit-sharing programs. Delta pilots have seen profit-sharing payments equal to 10–15% of their annual base salary in strong years. That can add $25,000 to $60,000 for senior captains.
Sign-on bonuses: Major airlines don’t typically offer them, but regional carriers serving New York’s hub airports still pay bonuses of $20,000 to $50,000 spread over two to three years.
Premium pay: Flying international routes, volunteering for extra legs, or serving as a check airman or instructor all generate additional income above base.
Retirement: Most major airline contracts include defined-contribution retirement plans with employer matches of 13–17% of base pay. For a captain earning $380,000, that’s $50,000–$65,000 per year in retirement contributions alone.
Loss of License insurance: A benefit most people overlook. Airlines typically provide coverage worth $500,000 to $1,000,000 if a pilot loses their medical certificate.
Average Pilot Salary in New York: Cross-Source Comparison
Salary figures vary significantly depending on the data source. Here’s what the major platforms report for New York:
| Source | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Salary.com | $181,601 |
| Glassdoor (NYC) | $177,829 |
| ZipRecruiter | $143,227 |
| SalaryExpert | $107,853 |
| BLS (national median) | $226,600 |
The wide range comes from how each platform collects data. SalaryExpert’s lower figure likely captures more regional and charter pilots. Salary.com’s higher figure skews toward airline pilots specifically. The BLS national median reflects all airline pilots across the country, including the highest-paid senior captains at legacy carriers.
For New York specifically, if you’re flying for a major carrier out of JFK or EWR, expect your earnings to track above the state average. If you’re at a regional carrier or flying corporate, expect to sit closer to or below the $140,000–$160,000 range.
Pilot Salaries by Type of Operation in New York
New York isn’t just commercial airlines. The state has a significant aviation ecosystem beyond the three major airports.
Corporate and Charter Pilots
New York City is home to some of the highest concentrations of ultra-high-net-worth individuals in the world. Corporate aviation thrives here. Pilots flying Gulfstream G700s or Bombardier Global 7500s for private clients or corporations can earn:
- Corporate pilot (mid-level): $110,000 – $160,000
- Chief pilot / senior corporate captain: $175,000 – $250,000
Corporate flying often comes with more predictable schedules and a closer relationship with a single aircraft type, but the top-end pay is still below what senior legacy airline captains earn.
Helicopter Pilots
New York has a robust helicopter industry — air tours over Manhattan, EMS operations, corporate transfers from the East Side heliports to airports, and law enforcement aviation.
- Helicopter tour pilot: $65,000 – $80,000
- EMS helicopter pilot: $75,000 – $95,000
- Corporate helicopter captain: $95,000 – $130,000
Salary.com reports the average helicopter pilot salary in New York at $99,573 as of early 2026, putting it well below fixed-wing airline pilots.
Cargo Pilots
Atlas Air, one of the largest cargo carriers in the world, is headquartered in Purchase, New York, and operates heavily out of JFK. UPS and FedEx also maintain significant operations at JFK and EWR.
Cargo pilots are among the highest-paid in aviation overall. A senior Atlas Air wide-body captain can realistically earn $300,000 to $370,000+ per year, particularly on 747-8 or 777F operations. Cargo flying also involves less passenger-related pressure and can offer more predictable bidding patterns, making it popular among senior pilots.
New York vs. Other High-Paying States
How does New York stack up against the other states Crew Daily has covered?
| State | Average Airline Pilot Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $188,401 |
| New York | $181,601 |
| Texas | $166,601 |
| Florida | $123,000 – $161,000 |
California edges out New York on raw averages, primarily due to the concentration of major airline captain positions in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Texas benefits from American Airlines’ massive DFW presence but has a lower overall average because it also includes many regional airline roles.
For more on state comparisons, see our guides on Pilot Salary in California, Pilot Salary in Texas, and Pilot Salary in Florida.
The Cost of Living Factor
Here’s what gets left out of most pilot salary articles: New York is expensive. The cost of living in New York State is approximately 29% higher than the US national average. In New York City specifically, it’s closer to 60–80% above national average for housing alone.
A Delta captain in Atlanta earning $380,000 and a Delta captain bidding a JFK base earning the same amount are not in the same real-money position. Housing costs, state income tax (New York’s top rate is 10.9%), and the general cost of city life can meaningfully reduce purchasing power.
Many New York-based pilots choose to live in lower-cost areas of New Jersey, Connecticut, or even Pennsylvania, commuting to their base airport by car or train. This “commuter pilot” lifestyle is common in the New York metro market.
New York also has no commuter deduction for airline pilots, so all of that commuting comes out of post-tax income.
Read Also: Pilot Salary in Florida
What Affects Your Pilot Salary in New York Most?
Several factors will determine where you land in that wide salary range:
Seniority. More than anything else, seniority within a specific airline dictates your pay. A senior United captain at Newark earns dramatically more than a junior United captain at the same base. The seniority system governs not just base pay but your ability to hold preferred schedules, aircraft types, and routes — all of which affect total compensation.
Aircraft type. Wide-body jets (Boeing 777, 787, Airbus A330, A350) pay more per flight hour than narrow-body jets (Boeing 737, Airbus A320 family). At Delta and American, the difference between a narrow-body and wide-body captain rate can be $100–$150 per hour, which adds up quickly across a year.
Union contracts. Every major US airline is a union shop under ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) or independent pilot unions. Contract cycles every four to five years reset pay scales. The 2023–2024 contract negotiations at Delta, United, and American all resulted in 18–34% pay increases. The next round of negotiations will shape 2026 pay and beyond.
Flight hours logged. Pilots flying close to the FAA monthly limit (100 flight hours) earn more from their hourly rate than those flying minimum guarantee hours (typically 75 per month). Premium trips, overtime, and international assignments all push total hours up.
Instructor or check airman duties. Pilots who take on simulator instructor or check airman responsibilities earn an additional hourly premium and often work extra days per month, meaningfully boosting annual income.
How to Become a Pilot in New York?
New York has several respected flight training programs and aviation schools feeding into the regional-to-major career pipeline.
To fly commercially for an airline anywhere in the US, you need:
- Private Pilot License (PPL) – minimum 40 flight hours, practical exam required
- Instrument Rating – authorizes flight in clouds and low visibility
- Commercial Pilot License (CPL) – minimum 250 flight hours
- Multi-Engine Rating – required for most airline positions
- Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate – required to serve as captain at any Part 121 airline; requires 1,500 flight hours minimum (or 1,000 with a qualifying aviation degree)
- First Class Medical Certificate – physical and cognitive health requirements from the FAA
Most pilots reaching a regional airline today have 1,500 to 2,000 hours of total time, often built through flight instructing, banner towing, or charter work after earning their commercial certificate.
For international pilot salary comparisons, our coverage includes Pilot Salary in the UAE, Pilot Salary in Qatar, and Pilot Salary in Saudi Arabia.
Is New York a Good Place to Build a Pilot Career?
The short answer: yes, if you’re aiming for a major airline.
The three major airports give New York pilots access to routes, aircraft types, and airline names that don’t exist at most US bases. JFK is one of the premier international departure points in the world — operating Delta’s transatlantic routes, JetBlue’s transatlantic A321XLR service, and connecting virtually every global airline. Newark is United’s main East Coast gateway for Europe. These routes tend to pay more, expose pilots to more aircraft type diversity, and support faster career progression.
The tradeoff is cost of living, bidding competition for desirable lines, and the operational complexity of flying in and out of some of the busiest, most congested airspace in the world.
For pilots who prioritize earnings above all else, the New York metro market — particularly for senior Delta, United, or American captains — is one of the top-paying assignments in US commercial aviation.
Pilot Salary in New York: Key Takeaways
- The average airline pilot salary in New York is $141,000 to $197,000, depending on source and role.
- Senior captains at Delta, American, or United flying out of JFK or EWR can earn $350,000 to $500,000+ in total annual compensation.
- JetBlue captains typically earn $190,000 to $270,000 — below the legacy Big Three but with strong New York-based scheduling.
- Regional airline first officers entering New York’s market start at $75,000 to $100,000, with sign-on bonuses common.
- Helicopter and corporate pilots in New York average $80,000 to $250,000 depending on experience and operation.
- New York’s high cost of living and state income tax (up to 10.9%) meaningfully reduce real purchasing power relative to the headline numbers.
- Seniority, aircraft type, and union contract cycles are the biggest variables in individual pilot earnings.
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