FedEx Express vs American Airlines
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at FedEx Express (FX) and American Airlines (AA) — 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.
FedEx Express opens earlier
FedEx Express states 500 hours where American Airlines states 1,500. That gap is roughly 2 years of flying at a typical instructor's pace, so for most candidates these are not two applications you send the same week — one is now and the other is later.
FedEx Express starts higher, American Airlines tops out higher
FedEx Express reaches $220,000 as an FO, while American Airlines reaches $400,000 in the left seat. If you expect to stay for a career, the captain band matters more than the entry number.
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 FedEx Express 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 FedEx Express 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
FedEx Express
- ATP certificate
- 1,500+ hours total time
- 500+ hours turbine PIC
- FAA Class 1 medical
- Excellent safety record
American Airlines
- ATP certificate
- 1,500+ hours total time
- FAA Class 1 medical
- FCC Restricted Radiotelephone permit
- US work authorization
- 4-year degree preferred
Pros & Cons
FedEx Express
Pros
- +Industry-leading captain pay
- +Daytime flexibility with cargo schedule
- +Large domestic route network
Cons
- –Primarily night flying operations
American Airlines
Pros
- +Industry-leading captain pay
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Large domestic route network
About Each Airline
FedEx Express
FedEx Express is one of the highest-paying airlines in the world. Cargo operations mean primarily night flying but excellent compensation and schedules.
Full FedEx Express career guide →American Airlines
The world's largest airline by fleet size, American Airlines is based in Fort Worth, Texas and operates an extensive domestic and international network.
Full American Airlines career guide →Calculate Your Salary
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