SAS Scandinavian Airlines vs Norwegian Air Shuttle
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) and Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) — 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
SAS Scandinavian Airlines hires into Sweden/Denmark/Norway and Norwegian Air Shuttle into Norway. 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 SAS Scandinavian 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.
No SAS Scandinavian 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.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Requirements Comparison
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- EASA ATPL
- Class 1 medical
- Scandinavian language preferred
- EU right to work
Norwegian Air Shuttle
- EASA ATPL
- Class 1 medical
- Boeing 737 type rating
- Scandinavian language preferred
Pros & Cons
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Pros
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Local language proficiency preferred
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Pros
- +Faster career progression
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
Cons
- –Higher workload with quick turnarounds
- –Local language proficiency preferred
- –Type rating required before application
About Each Airline
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
The flag carrier of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, SAS connects Scandinavia with the world from hubs in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo.
Full SAS Scandinavian Airlines career guide →Norwegian Air Shuttle
Scandinavia's largest low-cost carrier, operating short and medium-haul routes across Europe.
Full Norwegian Air Shuttle career guide →Calculate Your Salary
Model your earning potential at SAS Scandinavian Airlines or Norwegian Air Shuttle based on your experience, ratings, and career stage.
Salary Calculator