Saudia Pilot Salary 2026
Estimated First Officer and Captain pay. Page updated .
How much does a Saudia pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Saudia pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $85,000 a year at the start and $130,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $165,000 to $280,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Saudia's current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
- First Officer, year 1
- $85K/yr
- First Officer, top
- $130K/yr
- Captain, year 1
- $165K/yr
- Captain, top
- $280K/yr
Saudia pilot pay scale 2026
| Seat | Year 1 | Year 5 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Officer | $85,000 | $110,000 | $130,000 |
| Captain | $165,000 | $220,000 | $280,000 |
Where these numbers come from
The pay scale above is an estimate. We have not been able to check it line by line against Saudia'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 Saudia scale, the contact page is the fastest way to get it corrected.
Before Saudia 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 Saudia 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.
- JetBlue Airways ContractCapt $359KFO yr 1 $112K
- Atlas Air ContractCapt $333KFO yr 1 $100K
- Saudia (this page)EstimateCapt $280KFO yr 1 $85K
- SkyWest Airlines ContractCapt $198KFO yr 1 $93K
What it takes to get hired at Saudia
Checked against Saudia's official careers pages on August 22, 2026. Full Saudia recruitment guide
| What is actually open (checked 22 Aug 2026) | Only the Saudia Cadet Program. A search of Saudia's own careers site for "pilot" returns this single posting — no direct-entry First Officer or Captain vacancy was listed. |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Saudi nationals only |
| Licence | Valid GACA multi-engine Commercial Pilot Licence |
| Flight time | Minimum 240 flying hours, of which 25 hours multi-engine are mandatory |
| GACA AIP test | Valid, with a minimum score of 80% |
From student pilot to Saudia 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
Saudia 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
Saudia Captain
Command course Depends on seniority and growthUpgrade criteria (hours, time in seat, assessment) are set by each airline.
Knowing what Saudia 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 Saudia 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 Saudia pilot make in 2026?
Our estimate for Saudia pilot pay in 2026: a First Officer earns about $85,000 a year at the start and $130,000 by year 10. Captains earn roughly $165,000 to $280,000. These figures have not yet been checked against Saudia's current pilot contract; treat them as a range.
Is Saudia hiring pilots in 2026?
Saudia lists pilot hiring as "Upcoming 2026", 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 Saudia?
What is actually open (checked 22 Aug 2026): Only the Saudia Cadet Program. A search of Saudia's own careers site for "pilot" returns this single posting — no direct-entry First Officer or Captain vacancy was listed. Nationality: Saudi nationals only Licence: Valid GACA multi-engine Commercial Pilot Licence
Where do these Saudia pay figures come from?
They are estimates that we have not yet checked against Saudia'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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