Pay verified October 3, 2026United StatesHiring

Delta Air Lines Pilot Salary 2026

First Officer and Captain pay from the 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement. Updated .

Renzo Madueño, former Airbus A320 First Officer (Avianca), FAA commercial pilot
Renzo Madueño
Former Airbus A320 First Officer (Avianca), FAA commercial pilot · Founder, Rotate Pilot
Writes from real airline cockpit and checkride experience — not a content farm.

How much does a Delta pilot make in 2026?

In 2026 a Delta First Officer earns $125.52 an hour in year 1 on every fleet, rising to $330.44 by year 12 on the top-paying fleet. Captains earn $229.12 to $483.74 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $126K for a new First Officer and $484K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

First Officer, year 1
$125.52/hr
First Officer, top
$330.44/hr
Captain, year 1
$229.12/hr
Captain, top
$483.74/hr

Delta Air Lines pilot pay scale 2026

Delta Air Lines pilot pay by year of service — B777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400ERYr 1: First Officer $125.52, Captain $443.85; Yr 2: First Officer $239.41, Captain $447.45; Yr 3: First Officer $280.15, Captain $451.12; Yr 4: First Officer $286.94, Captain $454.76; Yr 5: First Officer $293.79, Captain $458.40; Yr 6: First Officer $301.24, Captain $462.00; Yr 7: First Officer $309.61, Captain $465.64; Yr 8: First Officer $316.72, Captain $469.22; Yr 9: First Officer $320.17, Captain $472.87; Yr 10: First Officer $324.52, Captain $476.47; Yr 11: First Officer $327.42, Captain $480.09; Yr 12: First Officer $330.44, Captain $483.74CaptainFirst OfficerUSD per hour$443.85$483.74$125.52$330.44123456789101112Year of service
From the pilot contractB777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400EREvery figure in a table
Delta Air Lines pilot pay per hour (USD) by year of service, rates in force from 2026-01-01. Source: the 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement.
YrFOB777 +4FOB737-800 +3CaptB777 +4CaptB737-800 +3
1$125.52$125.52$443.85$356.46
2$239.41$192.22$447.45$359.23
3$280.15$224.85$451.12$362.07
4$286.94$230.32$454.76$365.00
5$293.79$235.86$458.40$367.95
6$301.24$241.75$462.00$370.84
7$309.61$248.51$465.64$373.73
8$316.72$254.25$469.22$376.65
9$320.17$256.97$472.87$379.59
10$324.52$260.44$476.47$382.47
11$327.42$262.83$480.09$385.40
12$330.44$265.19$483.74$388.27

Hourly rates are what the contract pays per credit hour. Rough annual equivalent: rate × 1,000 credit hours (year-1 First Officer ≈ $125,520; top Captain ≈ $483,740). The contract guarantees at least 65 hours a month. Profit sharing, per diem and retirement contributions are on top.

Full contract table: all 9 aircraft groups, years 1–12
First Officer — USD per hour
AircraftYr 1Yr 2Yr 3Yr 4Yr 5Yr 6Yr 7Yr 8Yr 9Yr 10Yr 11Yr 12
B777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400ER125.52239.41280.15286.94293.79301.24309.61316.72320.17324.52327.42330.44
B767-300ER / B767-300 / B757 / A321neo125.52198.62232.42238.10243.92250.02256.92262.94265.60270.01273.34276.56
B737-900 / A321125.52193.02225.86231.32236.88242.91249.70255.47258.21261.73264.13266.58
B737-800 / B737-700 / A320 / A319125.52192.22224.85230.32235.86241.75248.51254.25256.97260.44262.83265.19
A220-300125.52185.31216.85222.09227.46233.18239.72245.24247.90251.29253.58255.90
A220-100125.52177.71207.96212.98218.11223.64229.89235.20237.73240.99243.21245.41
B717125.52172.87202.31207.24212.14217.57223.60228.77231.20234.38236.61238.62
EMB-195125.52145.14169.86174.00178.15182.65187.72192.05194.12196.76198.60200.36
EMB-190 / CRJ-900125.52125.52144.51148.02151.53155.37159.70163.38165.14167.38168.96170.43
Captain — USD per hour
AircraftYr 1Yr 2Yr 3Yr 4Yr 5Yr 6Yr 7Yr 8Yr 9Yr 10Yr 11Yr 12
B777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400ER443.85447.45451.12454.76458.40462.00465.64469.22472.87476.47480.09483.74
B767-300ER / B767-300 / B757 / A321neo368.14371.26374.27377.31380.51383.48386.33389.52392.29396.50400.77404.92
B737-900 / A321358.02360.83363.66366.61369.59372.56375.48378.42381.43384.27387.28390.30
B737-800 / B737-700 / A320 / A319356.46359.23362.07365.00367.95370.84373.73376.65379.59382.47385.40388.27
A220-300343.51346.36349.15351.97354.82357.69360.50363.31366.11368.96371.82374.66
A220-100329.45332.18334.84337.58340.30343.05345.72348.44351.12353.85356.59359.33
B717320.81323.16325.81328.46330.98333.71336.25338.89341.52344.18346.86349.38
EMB-195269.29271.30273.51275.79277.88280.14282.28284.50286.70288.92291.19293.32
EMB-190 / CRJ-900229.12230.81232.76234.63236.39238.29240.18242.06243.92245.83247.72249.56

Sources and verification

2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement (effective 2023-03-02, amendable 2026-12-31). Rates in force from January 1, 2026. Checked on .

Year-1 First Officer pay is the same on every fleet ($125.52/hr). The PWA becomes amendable on 31 Dec 2026, so 2027 rates are not known yet.

Before Delta Air Lines pays you any of this, you sit their aptitude battery.

Sit a timed practice paper free — no account. Scored on pace as well as accuracy, because pace is what the real battery culls on.

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On top of the hourly rate

Monthly minimum guarantee
65 credit hours
401(k) direct company contribution
18% of pay from 1 January 2026 (17% before)
Profit sharing paid in 2024
10.4% of eligible earnings

How Delta Air Lines pay compares

Same currency, ranked by top Captain pay. New First Officer pay sits in the lighter bar. Contract rows are hourly rates × 1,000 credit hours a year.

What it takes to get hired at Delta Air Lines

Checked against Delta Air Lines' official careers pages on October 3, 2026. Full Delta Air Lines recruitment guide

CertificatesFAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument-Airplane, all aeronautical experience requirements for an ATP (Airplane) per 14 CFR 61.159, and a current ATP written exam
Total Flight Time1,500 hours of documented total flight time
Turbine Time1,000 hours fixed-wing turbine preferred, with a minimum of 500 turbine hours in a non-powered-lift airplane
PIC / SICMinimum 250 hours PIC or SIC as defined in 14 CFR 61.159(a)(5)
Multi-engineMinimum 50 hours multi-engine airplane time

From student pilot to Delta Air Lines Captain

The hour figures are the FAA legal minimums (14 CFR Part 61); the time ranges are typical, not promises.

  1. Step 1

    Private Pilot certificate

    40 h minimum 3–6 months 14 CFR 61.109

    Ground school, the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test (60 questions, 70% to pass), then the checkride. Most students log well over the 40-hour legal minimum.

    Try free FAA Private Pilot written questions

  2. Step 2

    Instrument rating

    50 h cross-country PIC + 40 h instrument 2–4 months 14 CFR 61.65

    Flying by reference to instruments in cloud. Another FAA knowledge test and checkride.

  3. Step 3

    Commercial Pilot certificate

    250 h total 6–12 months 14 CFR 61.129

    The certificate that lets you be paid to fly. Add a multi-engine rating here or later.

  4. Step 4

    Build time (usually as a flight instructor)

    250 → 1,500 h 1–2 years

    Most pilots instruct (CFI) or fly charter/survey to reach airline minimums.

  5. Step 5

    ATP minimums

    1,500 h (R-ATP: 1,250 / 1,000 / 750) 14 CFR 61.159 / 61.160

    Restricted ATP at 1,250 h with an aviation associate degree, 1,000 h with a bachelor's, 750 h for qualifying military pilots. The ATP CTP course comes before the ATP knowledge test.

  6. Step 6

    Regional or entry-level airline First Officer

    Turbine and Part 121 time 2–4 years

    Where most US major-airline pilots build turbine and pilot-in-command time.

  7. Step 7

    Delta Air Lines First Officer

    Airline-specific

    Pay steps up every year of seniority on the contract scale.

  8. Step 8

    Delta Air Lines Captain

    Seniority-based upgrade Depends on seniority and growth

    Captain seats are bid by seniority; how fast you hold one depends on hiring and retirements, not on your logbook alone.

Knowing what Delta Air Lines pays is the easy part. Getting through their selection is the part that decides whether you ever earn it.

Before a human reads your application there is an aptitude battery, and candidates consistently report it as the heaviest cull — pace, not difficulty. You can practise it here for free: timed papers generated fresh each run, plus a divided-attention drill that measures how much your performance degrades under load. And when you reach the interview, there are 100 Delta Air Lines-specific questions with model answers, the red flags that fail each one, and the follow-ups the panel actually asks.

Practise the aptitude stage — freeSee Delta Air Lines questions free

Already past the paperwork and preparing for the panel? , scored against the answers a panel is listening for. Seven days of access, no subscription.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Delta pilot make in 2026?

In 2026 a Delta First Officer earns $125.52 an hour in year 1 on every fleet, rising to $330.44 by year 12 on the top-paying fleet. Captains earn $229.12 to $483.74 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $126K for a new First Officer and $484K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

How much does a Delta First Officer make in the first year?

$125.52 an hour in year 1 under 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement (effective 2023-03-02, amendable 2026-12-31), the same on every fleet. At 1,000 credit hours that is about $125,520 a year; the contract guarantees at least 65 hours a month ($97,906 a year at the minimum).

How much does a Delta Captain make?

Delta Captains earn $229.12 an hour (year 1, EMB-190 / CRJ-900) up to $483.74 an hour (year 12, B777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400ER). At 1,000 credit hours a year the top rate is about $483,740 before profit sharing.

Do Delta widebody pilots earn more than narrowbody pilots?

Yes. In year 12 a B777 / A350 / B787 / A330 / B767-400ER Captain earns $483.74 an hour versus $388.27 on the B737-800 / B737-700 / A320 / A319; First Officers earn $330.44 versus $265.19. Which aircraft you can hold depends on seniority.

Is Delta Air Lines hiring pilots in 2026?

Delta Air Lines is hiring pilots, according to its official careers pages as of October 3, 2026. Openings change month to month, so check the live posting before you apply.

What do you need to fly for Delta Air Lines?

Certificates: FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument-Airplane, all aeronautical experience requirements for an ATP (Airplane) per 14 CFR 61.159, and a current ATP written exam Total Flight Time: 1,500 hours of documented total flight time Turbine Time: 1,000 hours fixed-wing turbine preferred, with a minimum of 500 turbine hours in a non-powered-lift airplane

Does Delta pay profit sharing to pilots?

Profit sharing paid in 2024: 10.4% of eligible earnings. Profit sharing is paid on top of the hourly rates above.

Where do these Delta pay figures come from?

From 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement (effective 2023-03-02, amendable 2026-12-31). We read it on October 3, 2026 via: Airline Pilot Central — Delta Air Lines 2026 payscale (transcribed from the PWA); ALPA press release: Delta pilots approve new contract (1 Mar 2023); CNBC: Delta pilots approve new contract with 34% raises (1 Mar 2023).

Delta Air Lines pilot pay 2026: First Officer and Captain hourly rates by year of service, from the 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement
Delta Air Lines pilot pay 2026: First Officer and Captain hourly rates by year of service, from the 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement. Free to share with a link to this page.

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