Finnair Pilot Salary 2026
Estimated First Officer and Captain pay. Page updated .
How much does a Finnair pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Finnair pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about €52,000 a year at the start and €85,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly €115,000 to €175,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Finnair's current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
- First Officer, year 1
- €52K/yr
- First Officer, top
- €85K/yr
- Captain, year 1
- €115K/yr
- Captain, top
- €175K/yr
Finnair pilot pay scale 2026
| Seat | Year 1 | Year 5 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Officer | €52,000 | €68,000 | €85,000 |
| Captain | €115,000 | €145,000 | €175,000 |
Where these numbers come from
The pay scale above is an estimate. We have not been able to check it line by line against Finnair's 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 Finnair scale, the contact page is the fastest way to get it corrected.
Before Finnair 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 Finnair pay compares
Same currency, ranked by top Captain pay. New First Officer pay sits in the lighter bar.
- RyanairEstimateCapt €180KFO yr 1 €38K
- Finnair (this page)EstimateCapt €175KFO yr 1 €52K
- TAP Air PortugalEstimateCapt €170KFO yr 1 €48K
- CondorEstimateCapt €170KFO yr 1 €50K
What it takes to get hired at Finnair
Checked against Finnair's official careers pages on August 22, 2026. Full Finnair recruitment guide
| Licence | Commercial pilot licence |
|---|---|
| Education | An upper secondary school degree, or a completed vocational upper secondary qualification of at least three years (180 ECTS credits) |
| Height | Minimum 163 cm |
| Language | Good Finnish AND English. This is a hard gate, not a preference. |
| Medical | Finnair's own medical criteria, based on the European authority's definitions with additional Finnair-specific restrictions. Flawless colour vision is mandatory; glasses are not a limitation. A chronic illness requiring regular medication is generally disqualifying. Fitness is assessed individually and renewed annually throughout the career. |
From student pilot to Finnair 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
Finnair 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
Finnair Captain
Command course Depends on seniority and growthUpgrade criteria (hours, time in seat, assessment) are set by each airline.
Knowing what Finnair 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 Finnair 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 Finnair pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Finnair pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about €52,000 a year at the start and €85,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly €115,000 to €175,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Finnair's current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
Is Finnair hiring pilots in 2026?
Finnair 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 Finnair?
Licence: Commercial pilot licence Education: An upper secondary school degree, or a completed vocational upper secondary qualification of at least three years (180 ECTS credits) Height: Minimum 163 cm
Where do these Finnair pay figures come from?
They are estimates that we have not yet checked against Finnair'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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