Pay checked October 3, 2026 · read the caveatsUnited StatesHiring

SkyWest Airlines Pilot Salary 2026

First Officer and Captain pay from the SkyWest pilot pay package. 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 SkyWest pilot make in 2026?

In 2026 a SkyWest First Officer earns $92.73 an hour in year 1, rising to $108 by year 8. Captains earn $144.24 to $197.92 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $93K for a new First Officer and $198K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

First Officer, year 1
$92.73/hr
First Officer, top
$108/hr
Captain, year 1
$144.24/hr
Captain, top
$197.92/hr

SkyWest Airlines pilot pay scale 2026

SkyWest Airlines pilot pay by year of service — All jets (CRJ200/550/700/900, E175): single published scaleYr 1: First Officer $92.73, Captain $144.24; Yr 2: First Officer $95.00, Captain $149.00; Yr 3: First Officer $98.08, Captain $153.91; Yr 4: First Officer $100.00, Captain $158.00; Yr 5: First Officer $102.00, Captain $163.00; Yr 6: First Officer $104.00, Captain $168.00; Yr 7: First Officer $106.00, Captain $173.00; Yr 8: First Officer $108.00, Captain $178.00; Yr 9: First Officer $108.00, Captain $183.00; Yr 10: First Officer $108.00, Captain $188.00; Yr 11: First Officer $108.00, Captain $193.00; Yr 12: First Officer $108.00, Captain $197.92CaptainFirst OfficerUSD per hour$144.24$197.92$92.73$108.00123456789101112Year of service
From published pay sourcesAll jets (CRJ200/550/700/900, E175): single published scaleEvery figure in a table
SkyWest Airlines pilot pay per hour (USD) by year of service. Source: the SkyWest pilot pay package.
YrFOAll jets (CRJ200 +3CaptAll jets (CRJ200 +3
1$92.73$144.24
2$95.00$149.00
3$98.08$153.91
4$100.00$158.00
5$102.00$163.00
6$104.00$168.00
7$106.00$173.00
8$108.00$178.00
9—$183.00
10—$188.00
11—$193.00
12—$197.92

Hourly rates are what the contract pays per credit hour. Rough annual equivalent: rate × 1,000 credit hours (year-1 First Officer ≈ $92,730; top Captain ≈ $197,920). The contract guarantees at least 75 hours a month. Profit sharing, per diem and retirement contributions are on top.

Sources and verification

Caveat: we could not read SkyWest Airlines' pilot agreement itself. These figures come from the published sources below, cross-checked where we could; the note at the end says exactly what is and is not confirmed.

SkyWest pilot pay package (non-union, 2022, 1% annual raises). Checked on .

SkyWest pilot pay package (non-union; SAPA), ratified and effective 9/16/2022, with 1% annual raises. MIXED PRECISION. Cents values (CA yr 1/3/12, FO yr 1/3) come from SkyWest's own page. All other cells are whole dollars from AirlinePilotCentral, which truncates rather than rounds (e.g. 153.91 shown as 153, 197.92 as 197), so they may be up to $0.99/hr low. Current values = 2022 base x 1.01^3 (e.g. 140 x 1.030301 = 144.24; FO 90 -> 92.73), i.e. three 1% raises. The exact date of the latest raise is unknown; ratesEffective 2025-01-01 is a placeholder for 'in effect during 2025-2026'. The page does not say whether a 4th 1% raise applied in 2026. The FO scale has only 8 steps (year 8 is top; later years presumably stay at the year-8 rate).

Before SkyWest 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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On top of the hourly rate

Monthly guarantee
75 hours per month after completing IOE; 4.2-hour minimum daily guarantee
Captain year 20
$222.54/flight hour
Experienced-pilot offer
Year-for-year pay credit for prior Part 121 time (up to a 10-year rate) and a $7,500 bonus for current CL65 / ERJ170/190 type-rated pilots
401(k)
4% match at 1-4 years of service, 6% at 5-9, 12% non-elective at 10+; 100% vested after 3 years (per APC)
Premium pay
130% for awarded credit over 87 hours (per APC)

How SkyWest 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 SkyWest Airlines

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

Route 1 — ATP (1,500 h)At least 23 years old; 500 hours cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 actual multi-engine
Route 2 — R-ATP (1,500 h)At least 21; 200 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 actual multi-engine
Route 3 — R-ATP (1,250 h)At least 21; 30 semester credits of aviation coursework and an associate degree from an approved institution; 200 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 multi; instrument/commercial earned under Part 141
Route 4 — R-ATP (1,000 h)At least 21; 60 semester credits and a bachelor's degree from an approved institution; 200 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument; instrument/commercial under Part 141
Route 5 — R-ATP (750 h)Military pilot with DD-214 honourable discharge or record of current service

From student pilot to SkyWest 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

    SkyWest Airlines First Officer

    Airline-specific

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

  8. Step 8

    SkyWest 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 SkyWest 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 SkyWest 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 SkyWest pilot make in 2026?

In 2026 a SkyWest First Officer earns $92.73 an hour in year 1, rising to $108 by year 8. Captains earn $144.24 to $197.92 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $93K for a new First Officer and $198K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

How much does a SkyWest First Officer make in the first year?

$92.73 an hour in year 1 under SkyWest pilot pay package (non-union, 2022, 1% annual raises), the same on every fleet. At 1,000 credit hours that is about $92,730 a year; the contract guarantees at least 75 hours a month ($83,457 a year at the minimum).

How much does a SkyWest Captain make?

SkyWest Captains earn $144.24 an hour (year 1, All jets (CRJ200/550/700/900, E175): single published scale) up to $197.92 an hour (year 12, All jets (CRJ200/550/700/900, E175): single published scale). At 1,000 credit hours a year the top rate is about $197,920 before profit sharing.

Is SkyWest Airlines hiring pilots in 2026?

SkyWest 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 SkyWest Airlines?

Route 1 — ATP (1,500 h): At least 23 years old; 500 hours cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 actual multi-engine Route 2 — R-ATP (1,500 h): At least 21; 200 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 actual multi-engine Route 3 — R-ATP (1,250 h): At least 21; 30 semester credits of aviation coursework and an associate degree from an approved institution; 200 cross-country, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 multi; instrument/commercial earned under Part 141

Where do these SkyWest pay figures come from?

From SkyWest pilot pay package (non-union, 2022, 1% annual raises). We read it on October 3, 2026 via: SkyWest pilot careers page, 'Pay Scale' section; AirlinePilotCentral SkyWest profile (page last updated March 2026).

SkyWest Airlines pilot pay 2026: First Officer and Captain hourly rates by year of service, from the SkyWest pilot pay package
SkyWest Airlines pilot pay 2026: First Officer and Captain hourly rates by year of service, from the SkyWest pilot pay package. Free to share with a link to this page.

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