Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) vs Etihad Airways
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) (SV) and Etihad Airways (EY) — 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.
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) opens earlier
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) states 2,500 hours where Etihad Airways states 3,000. That gap is roughly 1 year 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.
Etihad Airways pays higher at both ends
Top of band: $140,000 as an FO and $300,000 as a captain. Bands are wide because seniority, fleet and country tax all move them — treat this as direction, not a payslip.
Different countries, different right to work
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) hires into Saudi Arabia and Etihad Airways into United Arab Emirates. 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 Saudia (Saudi Arabian 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 Saudia (Saudi Arabian 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
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines)
- ICAO ATPL
- 2,500+ hours
- 1,000+ on type
- Class 1 medical
Etihad Airways
- ICAO ATPL
- 3,000+ hours total time
- 1,500+ on multi-crew aircraft
- Valid Class 1 medical
Pros & Cons
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines)
Pros
- +Tax-free salary
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
- +Tax-free jurisdiction
Cons
- –Relocation to the Middle East required
- –Lower starting FO salary compared to US/Gulf carriers
Etihad Airways
Pros
- +Tax-free salary
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
- +Tax-free jurisdiction
Cons
- –High minimum hour requirements (3,000+)
- –Relocation to the Middle East required
About Each Airline
Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines)
Saudi Arabia's flag carrier is expanding rapidly as part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 aviation growth strategy.
Full Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) career guide →Etihad Airways
Abu Dhabi's flagship carrier offers tax-free compensation and operates a modern fleet to destinations worldwide.
Full Etihad Airways career guide →Calculate Your Salary
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