Pay checked October 3, 2026 · read the caveatsUnited StatesHiring

UPS Airlines Pilot Salary 2026

First Officer and Captain pay from the UPS–IPA contract. 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 UPS pilot make in 2026?

On its latest verified scale (September 1, 2025), a UPS First Officer earns $59.77 an hour in year 1, rising to $279.37 by year 12. Captains earn $59.77 to $390.21 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $60K for a new First Officer and $390K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

First Officer, year 1
$59.77/hr
First Officer, top
$279.37/hr
Captain, year 1
$59.77/hr
Captain, top
$390.21/hr

UPS Airlines pilot pay scale 2026

UPS Airlines pilot pay by year of service — All aircraft (single scale: B747-8/-400, MD-11, B767, B757, A300)Yr 1: First Officer $59.77, Captain $59.77; Yr 2: First Officer $228.04, Captain $367.39; Yr 3: First Officer $228.35, Captain $368.11; Yr 4: First Officer $232.93, Captain $369.60; Yr 5: First Officer $237.58, Captain $371.07; Yr 6: First Officer $242.32, Captain $372.53; Yr 7: First Officer $247.17, Captain $374.04; Yr 8: First Officer $252.10, Captain $375.53; Yr 9: First Officer $257.14, Captain $377.02; Yr 10: First Officer $264.32, Captain $381.37; Yr 11: First Officer $271.74, Captain $385.77; Yr 12: First Officer $279.37, Captain $390.21CaptainFirst OfficerUSD per hour$390.21$59.77$279.37123456789101112Year of service
From published pay sourcesAll aircraft (single scale: B747-8/-400, MD-11, B767, B757, A300)Every figure in a table
UPS Airlines pilot pay per hour (USD) by year of service, rates in force from 2025-09-01. Source: the UPS–IPA contract.
YrFOAll aircraft (single scale: B747-8 +1CaptAll aircraft (single scale: B747-8 +1
1$59.77$59.77
2$228.04$367.39
3$228.35$368.11
4$232.93$369.60
5$237.58$371.07
6$242.32$372.53
7$247.17$374.04
8$252.10$375.53
9$257.14$377.02
10$264.32$381.37
11$271.74$385.77
12$279.37$390.21

Hourly rates are what the contract pays per credit hour. Rough annual equivalent: rate × 1,000 credit hours (year-1 First Officer ≈ $59,770; top Captain ≈ $390,210). Profit sharing, per diem and retirement contributions are on top.

Sources and verification

Caveat: we could not read UPS 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.

UPS–IPA contract (2022 extension). Rates in force from September 1, 2025. Checked on .

UPS-IPA CBA with 2022 two-year extension (amendable Sept 1, 2025; in NMB mediation). Year 1 ($59.77) is a flat first-year rate that is the same for every seat (the contract table lists it under Captain too, but nobody is a year-1 captain). The pay table is an image of the contract table on AirlinePilotCentral; the IPA site was not reachable for a primary copy. Confidence still comes from (a) the exact 3.25% ratio to the Sept 2024 table in every cell, (b) the top rates matching the $401/$284 quoted in text, and (c) secondary confirmation that nothing newer exists. The Second Officer column is not included. Monthly guarantee not verified (one secondary says about 81 hours), so it is left null. If an IPA deal is reached later in 2026, these rates will change.

Before UPS 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.

Take the free test

On top of the hourly rate

Top of scale (year 15)
Captain $401.01, First Officer $284.29, Second Officer $209.72
Contract status
Amendable since Sept 1, 2025; IPA and UPS in National Mediation Board mediation since Dec 2025. Under the RLA, the Sept 2025 rates stay in force until a new deal
Retirement
A Plan defined-benefit pension (flat $ per year of service, max 30 years, about $120,000/yr) + B Plan 12% money-purchase; no 401(k) match
Per diem
$3.35/hr domestic, $3.95 international

How UPS 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 UPS Airlines

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

CertificateFAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate, or a Restricted ATP where the pilot qualifies under 14 CFR §61.160
Total time — statutory floor1,500 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
MedicalFAA First Class
AuthorisationUnrestricted US work authorisation
In practiceUPS hires from a very deep applicant pool and successful candidates typically hold far more than the statutory floor — but UPS itself publishes no number, so we will not invent one.

From student pilot to UPS 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

    UPS Airlines First Officer

    Airline-specific

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

  8. Step 8

    UPS 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 UPS 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 UPS 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 UPS pilot make in 2026?

On its latest verified scale (September 1, 2025), a UPS First Officer earns $59.77 an hour in year 1, rising to $279.37 by year 12. Captains earn $59.77 to $390.21 an hour. At 1,000 credit hours a year that is about $60K for a new First Officer and $390K for a senior Captain, before profit sharing and per diem.

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

$59.77 an hour in year 1 under UPS–IPA contract (2022 extension), the same on every fleet. At 1,000 credit hours that is about $59,770 a year.

How much does a UPS Captain make?

UPS Captains earn $59.77 an hour (year 1, All aircraft (single scale: B747-8/-400, MD-11, B767, B757, A300)) up to $390.21 an hour (year 12, All aircraft (single scale: B747-8/-400, MD-11, B767, B757, A300)). At 1,000 credit hours a year the top rate is about $390,210 before profit sharing.

Is UPS Airlines hiring pilots in 2026?

UPS 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 UPS 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 UPS pay figures come from?

From UPS–IPA contract (2022 extension). We read it on October 3, 2026 via: AirlinePilotCentral UPS profile, pay table image 'Effective September 1, 2025' (uploads/5263/mceclip1.png); AirlinePilotCentral UPS profile, page text; FreightWaves, Dec 5, 2025: UPS pilots and company resume contract talks, enlist federal mediator.

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

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