Etihad Airways Pilot Salary 2026
Estimated First Officer and Captain pay. Page updated .
How much does a Etihad Airways pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Etihad Airways pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $98,000 a year at the start and $140,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $190,000 to $300,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Etihad Airways' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
- First Officer, year 1
- $98K/yr
- First Officer, top
- $140K/yr
- Captain, year 1
- $190K/yr
- Captain, top
- $300K/yr
Etihad Airways pilot pay scale 2026
| Seat | Year 1 | Year 5 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Officer | $98,000 | $120,000 | $140,000 |
| Captain | $190,000 | $250,000 | $300,000 |
Where these numbers come from
The pay scale above is an estimate. We have not been able to check it line by line against Etihad Airways' current pilot agreement or an official pay publication, so we do not present it as a pay scale. Pages where we have done that check say “From the pilot contract” and list the source and the date we read it. If you hold the current Etihad Airways scale, the contact page is the fastest way to get it corrected.
Before Etihad Airways 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.
How Etihad Airways 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.
- UPS Airlines ContractCapt $390KFO yr 1 $60K
- JetBlue Airways ContractCapt $359KFO yr 1 $112K
- Atlas Air ContractCapt $333KFO yr 1 $100K
- Etihad Airways (this page)EstimateCapt $300KFO yr 1 $98K
What it takes to get hired at Etihad Airways
Checked against Etihad Airways' official careers pages on August 22, 2026. Full Etihad Airways recruitment guide
| Certificates | ICAO ATPL; hour requirements are published per vacancy rather than as a single site-wide minimum |
|---|---|
| Entry Routes | Etihad advertises NON-type-rated First Officer roles on the 777/787, so a type rating is not a precondition for every vacancy |
| Cadet Programme | UAE nationals only, aged 18-29. Two years split between Abu Dhabi and Spain; graduates enter as Second Officer under training |
| Cadet Selection | IELTS 5.5 (Academic) or TOEFL 510 minimum, plus tests in English, maths and physics, psychometric assessment and in-person interviews |
From student pilot to Etihad Airways Captain
Shown for the EASA system most non-US airlines recruit from; other authorities are similar. Hour figures are regulatory minimums, time ranges are typical.
Step 1
Class 1 medical + theory
First month EASA Part-MED / Part-FCLBook the Class 1 medical before paying any school. Then ATPL theory: 13 subjects under the EASA syllabus (other authorities differ).
Try free private-pilot theory questions (FAA format)Step 2
CPL / IR / multi-engine training
≈ 200 h (EASA integrated minimum 195 h) 18–24 months integrated EASA FCL Appendix 3Integrated course in one go, or modular (PPL first, then hour building, CPL, IR). Ends with multi-crew (MCC/APS) training.
Step 3
Type rating (A320 / 737)
Simulator + base training 2–3 monthsPaid by the airline in some cadet or direct-entry schemes, self-funded in others — check the specific vacancy.
Step 4
Etihad Airways First Officer
Airline-specificLow-hour pilots usually join with a frozen ATPL.
Step 5
Full ATPL (unfrozen)
1,500 h incl. 500 h multi-pilot 3–4 years of line flying EASA FCL.510.AThe licence you need to be pilot-in-command of a multi-pilot airliner.
Step 6
Etihad Airways Captain
Command course Depends on seniority and growthUpgrade criteria (hours, time in seat, assessment) are set by each airline.
Knowing what Etihad Airways 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.
Already past the paperwork and preparing for the panel? , scored against the answers a panel is listening for. Seven days of access, no subscription.
No Etihad Airways pack yet — want it built?
We will not pretend to have one. We build the next pack for the airline that gets asked for most, so leaving your address here is a vote. No sequence, one email when it ships.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Etihad Airways pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Etihad Airways pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $98,000 a year at the start and $140,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $190,000 to $300,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Etihad Airways' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
Is Etihad Airways hiring pilots in 2026?
Etihad Airways is hiring pilots, according to its official careers pages as of August 22, 2026. Openings change month to month, so check the live posting before you apply.
What do you need to fly for Etihad Airways?
Certificates: ICAO ATPL; hour requirements are published per vacancy rather than as a single site-wide minimum Entry Routes: Etihad advertises NON-type-rated First Officer roles on the 777/787, so a type rating is not a precondition for every vacancy Cadet Programme: UAE nationals only, aged 18-29. Two years split between Abu Dhabi and Spain; graduates enter as Second Officer under training
Where do these Etihad Airways pay figures come from?
They are estimates that we have not yet checked against Etihad Airways's current pilot contract or an official pay publication. Pages we have checked say "From the pilot contract" and name the source and date.
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