Aeromexico vs Volaris
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at Aeromexico (AM) and Volaris (Y4) — covering salary, fleet, requirements, and more.
Airline selection starts with an aptitude battery
It screens you before a human reads your application. Sit a timed practice paper free — scored on pace, which is what actually culls candidates.
Which one fits you
Read from the numbers above rather than from opinion. Where the published data does not settle a question, it is left open instead of guessed.
Aeromexico pays higher at both ends
Top of band: $65,000 as an FO and $160,000 as a captain. Bands are wide because seniority, fleet and country tax all move them — treat this as direction, not a payslip.
Whichever you pick, the gate is the same shape
Both run an aptitude battery before a human reads your CV, then a competency interview scored against the ICAO pilot competencies. We do not have a pack for either yet — the aptitude practice below applies to both.
Knowing what Aeromexico 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.
No Aeromexico 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.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Requirements Comparison
Aeromexico
- DGAC ATPL
- 1,500+ hours
- Class 1 medical
- Spanish and English proficiency
Volaris
- DGAC ATPL
- Class 1 medical
- Airbus type rating
- Spanish proficiency
- Mexican work authorization
Pros & Cons
Aeromexico
Pros
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Lower starting FO salary compared to US/Gulf carriers
Volaris
Pros
- +Faster career progression
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Higher workload with quick turnarounds
- –Lower starting FO salary compared to US/Gulf carriers
- –Type rating required before application
About Each Airline
Aeromexico
Mexico's flag carrier and SkyTeam member operates domestic and international routes from Mexico City.
Full Aeromexico career guide →Volaris
Mexico's largest ultra-low-cost carrier, rapidly expanding across Mexico, Central America, and the United States.
Full Volaris career guide →Calculate Your Salary
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