Mesa Airlines Pilot Salary 2026
Estimated First Officer and Captain pay. Page updated .
How much does a Mesa Airlines pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Mesa Airlines pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $50,000 a year at the start and $88,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $100,000 to $150,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Mesa Airlines' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
- First Officer, year 1
- $50K/yr
- First Officer, top
- $88K/yr
- Captain, year 1
- $100K/yr
- Captain, top
- $150K/yr
Mesa Airlines pilot pay scale 2026
| Seat | Year 1 | Year 5 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Officer | $50,000 | $75,000 | $88,000 |
| Captain | $100,000 | $130,000 | $150,000 |
Where these numbers come from
The pay scale above is an estimate. We have not been able to check it line by line against Mesa Airlines' 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 Mesa Airlines scale, the contact page is the fastest way to get it corrected.
Before Mesa Airlines 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 Mesa Airlines 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.
- Atlas Air ContractCapt $333KFO yr 1 $100K
- SkyWest Airlines ContractCapt $198KFO yr 1 $93K
- Republic Airways ContractCapt $185KFO yr 1 $93K
- Mesa Airlines (this page)EstimateCapt $150KFO yr 1 $50K
What it takes to get hired at Mesa Airlines
Checked against Mesa Airlines' official careers pages on August 22, 2026. Full Mesa Airlines recruitment guide
| Certificate | FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate, or a Restricted ATP where the pilot qualifies under 14 CFR §61.160 |
|---|---|
| Total time — statutory floor | 1,500 hours, reduced under §61.160 to 1,250 with a qualifying associate degree, 1,000 with a qualifying bachelor's degree, or 750 for qualifying military pilots |
| Medical | FAA First Class |
| Authorisation | Unrestricted US work authorisation |
| Competitive hours | Mesa sets these per posting, not as a standing figure. Anyone quoting one fixed number for Mesa is guessing — read the live requisition. |
From student pilot to Mesa Airlines Captain
The hour figures are the FAA legal minimums (14 CFR Part 61); the time ranges are typical, not promises.
Step 1
Private Pilot certificate
40 h minimum 3–6 months 14 CFR 61.109Ground 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 questionsStep 2
Instrument rating
50 h cross-country PIC + 40 h instrument 2–4 months 14 CFR 61.65Flying by reference to instruments in cloud. Another FAA knowledge test and checkride.
Step 3
Commercial Pilot certificate
250 h total 6–12 months 14 CFR 61.129The certificate that lets you be paid to fly. Add a multi-engine rating here or later.
Step 4
Build time (usually as a flight instructor)
250 → 1,500 h 1–2 yearsMost pilots instruct (CFI) or fly charter/survey to reach airline minimums.
Step 5
ATP minimums
1,500 h (R-ATP: 1,250 / 1,000 / 750) 14 CFR 61.159 / 61.160Restricted 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.
Step 6
Regional or entry-level airline First Officer
Turbine and Part 121 time 2–4 yearsWhere most US major-airline pilots build turbine and pilot-in-command time.
Step 7
Mesa Airlines First Officer
Airline-specificPay steps up every year of seniority on the contract scale.
Step 8
Mesa Airlines Captain
Seniority-based upgrade Depends on seniority and growthCaptain seats are bid by seniority; how fast you hold one depends on hiring and retirements, not on your logbook alone.
Knowing what Mesa Airlines 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 Mesa Airlines 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 Mesa Airlines pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Mesa Airlines pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $50,000 a year at the start and $88,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $100,000 to $150,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Mesa Airlines' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
Is Mesa Airlines hiring pilots in 2026?
Mesa Airlines 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 Mesa Airlines?
Certificate: FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate, or a Restricted ATP where the pilot qualifies under 14 CFR §61.160 Total time — statutory floor: 1,500 hours, reduced under §61.160 to 1,250 with a qualifying associate degree, 1,000 with a qualifying bachelor's degree, or 750 for qualifying military pilots Medical: FAA First Class
Where do these Mesa Airlines pay figures come from?
They are estimates that we have not yet checked against Mesa Airlines'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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