Korean Air vs All Nippon Airways (ANA)
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at Korean Air (KE) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) (NH) — 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.
Different countries, different right to work
Korean Air hires into South Korea and All Nippon Airways (ANA) into Japan. Before comparing anything else, check which one you can legally be employed in — residency and licence conversion decide more applications than flying ability does.
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 Korean Air 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 Korean Air 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
Korean Air
- ICAO ATPL
- 2,500+ hours on jets
- Class 1 medical
- Korean language helpful
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- JCAB ATPL or ICAO equivalent
- Class 1 medical
- Japanese language proficiency
Pros & Cons
Korean Air
Pros
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Local language proficiency preferred
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Pros
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Local language proficiency preferred
About Each Airline
Korean Air
South Korea's largest airline operates an extensive network across Asia, the Americas, and Europe from its Seoul-Incheon hub.
Full Korean Air career guide →All Nippon Airways (ANA)
Japan's largest airline by revenue and fleet size, ANA is a Star Alliance member with growing international operations.
Full All Nippon Airways (ANA) career guide →Calculate Your Salary
Model your earning potential at Korean Air or All Nippon Airways (ANA) based on your experience, ratings, and career stage.
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