Pay estimateUnited StatesHiring

PSA Airlines Pilot Salary 2026

Estimated First Officer and Captain pay. Page 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 PSA Airlines pilot make in 2026?

Our estimate for PSA Airlines pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $54,000 a year at the start and $92,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $105,000 to $160,000. These figures have not yet been checked against PSA Airlines' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.

First Officer, year 1
$54K/yr
First Officer, top
$92K/yr
Captain, year 1
$105K/yr
Captain, top
$160K/yr

PSA Airlines pilot pay scale 2026

PSA Airlines pilot pay by year of service — Estimate — not yet verified against a pilot contractYr 1: First Officer $54K, Captain $105K; Yr 5: First Officer $80K, Captain $138K; Yr 10: First Officer $92K, Captain $160KCaptainFirst OfficerEstimate · USD per year$105K$138K$160K$54K$80K$92KYear 1Year 5Year 10
EstimateEstimate — not yet verified against a pilot contractEvery figure in a table
Estimate, per year — not yet verified against PSA Airlines' pilot contract. Base pay only.
SeatYear 1Year 5Year 10
First Officer$54,000$80,000$92,000
Captain$105,000$138,000$160,000

Where these numbers come from

The pay scale above is an estimate. We have not been able to check it line by line against PSA 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 PSA Airlines scale, the contact page is the fastest way to get it corrected.

Before PSA 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.

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How PSA 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.

What it takes to get hired at PSA Airlines

Checked against PSA Airlines' official careers pages on August 22, 2026. Full PSA Airlines recruitment guide

Flight TimeFAA ATP or R-ATP minimums under 14 CFR 61.160 — 1,500 hours standard, 1,250 with a qualifying associate degree, 1,000 with a qualifying bachelor's degree, 750 for military pilots
Multi-engine25 hours multi-engine time
ATP-CTPCompletion of ATP-CTP required
MedicalFAA First Class medical
Route inPSA is a wholly owned American Airlines regional — one of the published paths to mainline

From student pilot to PSA Airlines 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

    PSA Airlines First Officer

    Airline-specific

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

  8. Step 8

    PSA Airlines 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 PSA 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.

Practise the aptitude stage — freeSee the interview prep

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 PSA 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 PSA Airlines pilot make in 2026?

Our estimate for PSA Airlines pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $54,000 a year at the start and $92,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $105,000 to $160,000. These figures have not yet been checked against PSA Airlines' current pilot contract; treat them as a range.

Is PSA Airlines hiring pilots in 2026?

PSA 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 PSA Airlines?

Flight Time: FAA ATP or R-ATP minimums under 14 CFR 61.160 — 1,500 hours standard, 1,250 with a qualifying associate degree, 1,000 with a qualifying bachelor's degree, 750 for military pilots Multi-engine: 25 hours multi-engine time ATP-CTP: Completion of ATP-CTP required

Where do these PSA Airlines pay figures come from?

They are estimates that we have not yet checked against PSA 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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