Pilot Salary in India: Complete Breakdown for 2026

The pilot salary in India ranges from  ₹150,000 to ₹800,000 per month based on various factors such as the amount of experience they have, the airline they work for and the kind of aircraft they fly. Newcomers can begin earning between ₹80,000-150,000 per month; however, captains working for large companies like Indigo and Air India typically earn ₹500,000-800,0000 per month. If you are currently working with the Government or Air Force as a pilot, your salary will have different pay scales depending on what branch of government or military you belong to along with added benefits such as retirement plans, health insurance and vacation pay.

Now if you have been dreaming about being an airline pilot, but are trying to figure out whether or not it is worth investing your savings in the amount needed for training then the answer is simple. The amount that is earned by an airline pilot varies greatly depending upon where in India he/she is flying, what kind of aircraft he/she is flying and for how long he/she has been employed as a pilot. Let’s take a look at the actual dollar figures involved without all of them .

Pilot Salary in India

The pilot salary in India varies based on several different factors including your status as a 

co-pilot versus a captain, if you are flying domestically versus internationally, whether you are flying for private or government airlines and how many hours you have already flown. In the example above, it is highly likely that one of these two pilots will earn up to double than that of the other because of all the various factors that determine the actual amounts.

The following is a breakdown of the basic pilot salary structure:

• Newly Qualified First Officer (Co-Pilot): ₹80,000 – ₹150,000/month
• Experienced First Officer (Co-Pilot): ₹200,000 – ₹350,000/month
• Junior Captain (Pilot-in-Charge): ₹300,000 – ₹500,000/month
• Senior Captain (Pilot-in-Charge): ₹500,000 – ₹800,000/month

In addition, once you add in other forms of compensation such as flying allowances, layover payments and international route bonuses, the numbers above are applicable only to the base pilot salary. Other forms of compensation will greatly enhance total compensation for pilots in India; therefore the pilot salary in India is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.

Pilot Salary in India Per Month: Airline Comparison

Different airlines have different pay scales. Let’s see how pilot salary in India per month varies across major carriers.

Airline (Type)	First Officer Salaries (per month)	Captain Salaries (per month)	Incentives
Indigo	₹120,000 – 250,000	₹400,000 – 650,000	Performance Bonuses
Air India	₹150,000 – 300,000	₹500,000 – 800,000	International Allowance
Vistara	₹130,000 – 280,000	₹450,000 – 700,000	Premium Route Pay
SpiceJet	₹100,000 – 220,000	₹350,000 – 550,000	Hourly Flying Pay
Go First	₹90,000 – 200,000	₹300,000 – 500,000	Base Pay Structure
Air Asia India	₹100,000 – 200,000	₹350,000 – 500,000	Standard Bundle

In addition to the basic pay structures, additional income will depend on flying time. Most airlines will pay per flying hour for every hour over their minimum requirement.

Because of this, you must consider another factor (in addition to the basic salary) when you are trying to compare pilot salary in India.

Pilot Salary in India for Freshers

When you start your career as a new pilot with a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) in India after spending approximately ₹40-50 lakh on your training, you may find that the starting pilot salary in India does not reflect that investment. Here is a breakdown of what to expect for pilot salaries as a fresh pilot or First Officer entry-level position in India.

Most budget airlines will begin your monthly salary between ₹80,000. and ₹1,20,000 per month, while an airline such as Air India may pay you ₹1,20,000. to ₹1,50,000 per month. You can anticipate flying shorter domestic routes during your first 12-24 months of piloting. Additionally, you will be limited to flying fewer hours until you accumulate more hours.

After your first year and as you log more than 1,000 hours, your pay rate will increase, and your pay rate will rise significantly after you receive your type rating for the specific aircraft you’ll be flying for the airline at which you are employed.

One of the most frustrating aspects for a new pilot is acquiring their first job; however, most airlines will only hire pilots with previous flying hours; therefore, many new pilots will work as flight instructors for 6-12 months at a salary of ₹40,000-₹60,000 per month to build those flying hours until they find their first job in a commercial airline.

As you collect more flying hours, your pilot salary will improve dramatically compared to your first year of flying after you obtain your first flying position. You need to show patience throughout this early stage; however, it will pay off once you have accumulated a lot of flight experience!

Pilot Salary in India Indigo

Pilot salary in India are competitive but based on productivity and there are many opportunities to earn more by flying more.

Pay Structure for Pilots in Indigo Airlines:

• New First Officer: ₹1,20,000/month (base) plus flying allowance
• First Officer with 3-5 years’ experience: ₹2-2.5 Lakhs/month
• New Captain: ₹4-4.5 Lakhs/month
• Senior Captain: ₹5.5-6.5 Lakhs/month

Indigo differs from other airlines because they offer higher pay based on the number of flying hours completed. Base salaries are moderate, but a pilot who completes many flying hours (within safe limits) can potentially earn a lot more money. For example, a maximum hour flying captain can earn from ₹7 Lakhs to ₹8 Lakhs each month.

Also, Indigo Airlines offers performance bonuses, and since Indigo has a large number of operational flights, there is always an opportunity to fly. However, most flights are within the Domestic Airspace, and therefore their pilots do not receive international allowances as Air India pilots do. 

Overall, the pilot salary in India for Indigo Airlines is infused with motivation based on risk versus return by rewarding a pilot’s ability to safely complete the maximum number of flying hours possible.

Pilot Salary in India Air India: Premium Long-Haul Pay

Air India, after being taken over by Tata, has also changed its salary structure for pilots. The pilot salary in India for Air India offers is among the highest for wide-body aircraft captains.

Some specifics of Air India’s Pay Structure are as follows:

• First Officer (Narrow Body)- ₹1.5-2 Lakh/month
• First Officer (Wide Body)- ₹2.5-3 Lakh/month
• Captain (Narrow Body)- ₹5-6 Lakh/month
• Captain (Wide Body)- ₹6.5-8 Lakh/month

Pilots operating the Boeing 777 or 787 pilot will receive substantial additional pay in terms of allowances when flying international long-haul routes to destinations such as Abu Dhabi, London, etc. The additional income a pilot can earn for an International Long-Haul flight to New York City or London is between ₹50,000 – 80,000/month total (based on the trip length).

Along with this Air India offers a seniority based pay structure, which allows pilots that stick around to eventually upgrade their equipment type or flying routes, which results in a substantial increase in pilot salaries over time.

Pilot Salary in Indian Air Force: Service Beyond Money

The salary structure for pilots in the Indian Air Force is significantly different than in the corporate sector. Salaries are based on a government’s pay scale instead of salary bands.

The pay for IAF pilots in the first officer rank starts at ₹56,100 (Level 10). As a Flying Officer with a minimum of three years’ experience, the monthly pay would increase to ₹61,300 (Level 10B). After a total of thirteen years’ experience, a Squadron Leader would be paid ₹1.21 lakh per month (Level 12A). The monthly salary for a Wing Commander is ₹1.39 lakh (Level 13).

At first glance, this pay may look lower than that of commercial pilots; however, this is only part of the story.

IAF has additional benefits for their pilots, which include:

• Aircrew Flying allowance of ₹20000 to ₹25000
• Free accommodation and/or HRA
• Free medical for you and your dependent family members
• Canteen facilities which provide food at a subsidized rate
• Education allowance for children of all ranks
• Pension after 20 years of service
• Esteem and pride of serving your country
• Risk allowance (up to ₹70,000 per month) for pilots of fighter aircraft

Thus, when you add together all of the benefits of being an IAF Flight Lieutenant with allowances, their total take-home pay could range from ₹1.2 to ₹1.4 lakh per month, yet they have virtually no living expenses. After serving at least twenty years, these pilots can retire from military service and subsequently be employed by a commercial airline as a captain, where they would earn an estimated ₹6 to ₹8 lakh- per month.

Finally, a number of IAF pilots will retire at 52 to 54 years of age and fly commercial airplanes until the age of 65. The pilot salary in Indian Air Force may start lower, but the dual-career potential and benefits make it financially attractive long-term.

Pilot Salary in India Government: Stability vs Growth

Aside from the fact that now “Air India” will be a privately run airline, the range to work in other government aviation jobs is limited to Alliance Air and the Government’s passenger charter operations.

For example:

* Alliance Air = approximately Air India pay structure but primarily serves to connect people within regions of the country.

• First Officer (FO): (1.2 – 2) Lacs/month
• Captain (C): (4 – 6) Lacs/month

Government Helicopter Pilots generate revenue for VVIP transportation and/or respond to natural disasters and will earn (2 – 5) Lacs/month based on their level of experience, have strong job security, and unrivaled benefits provided by the Government. In their favour, the trade-off is that the Government offers “job security and benefits” (including retirement) but limits your earning potential (i.e. senior captains @ private airlines will earn substantially more than gov approval).

Pilot Salary in India Per Year

By looking at annual salaries of pilots in India, you will get an understanding of the total revenue that could be generated over time.

Annual Salary Breakdown by Position:

1. First Officer- New Hire- ₹10 – ₹18 Lakh per year
2. First Officer- Experienced- ₹24 – ₹42 Lakh per year
3. Junior Captain- ₹36 – ₹60 Lakh per year
4. Senior Captain- ₹60 – ₹96 Lakh per year

These amounts include base salary, flight allowances, layover payments, and bonuses. International Captains at Air India could earn a total compensation of over ₹1 Crore if they regularly work long-haul premium flights.

However, keep in mind that annual pilot salary in India are not guaranteed. They can be affected by the performance of the airline, hours available to fly, and the seniority level of the pilot. During COVID-19 many pilots received a total of 30 – 50% reduction in pay due to being unable to fly because flights were grounded.

Factors That Impact Pilot Salary in India

The salaries paid to pilots in India vary significantly based on many different factors.

• Aircraft Type: Narrowbody Aircraft such as the A320 and B737 pay less than widebody aircraft, e.g., Boeing 777, 787 and Airbus 350. Airlines typically cover the costs for the type ratings; however, when a pilot switches to a different type of aircraft, there’s retraining required.
• Route Type: Pilots are usually compensated for travelling on domestic short-haul flights. Long-haul international flights generally compensate pilots at higher hourly rates than domestic short-haul flights plus per diem for food and lodging during their international layovers.
• Flying Hours: Airlines guarantee 70 to 80 hours of flying each month, while any additional hours flown above 70 or 80 hours will be compensated at a higher hourly rate. The legal limit for the maximum flying hours in one month is approximately 125 hours in accordance with DGCA regulations.
• Experience: The number of hours you have flown in your logbook, the number of years you have been employed with your current employer, and whether you currently hold a command (aka, Captain) position are three factors that will affect the salaries you will receive as a pilot in India.
• Airline Profitability: Airlines that are generating profits, such as Indigo and Tata, pay their pilots/grow regularly and on time. However, airlines that are struggling have a history of paying their pilots late, therefore reducing the ability to predict salary expenses, thus affecting total salary earned by a pilot.

Career Growth Timeline

Pilot salary in India growth over the course of a career in India can help you with realistic financial planning.

Career Timeline

• (0 to 2 years) First Officer who is building hours (10 to 18 lakhs per year)
• (3 to 5 years) Senior First Officer who is flying consistently (24 to 36 lakhs per year)
• (6 to 8 years) Upgrade to Captain (36 to 60 lakhs per year)
• (9 to 15 years) Senior Captain with wide body aircraft qualification (60 to 90 lakhs per year)
• (15 to present) Check Airman or Training Captain (70 lakhs to 1 crore per year)

The peak earnings for an individual in the field of aviation will generally occur during the period of 10 to 25 years, during which time most pilots will have attained the position of Senior Captain flying internationally on wide body aircraft. There are many opportunities available to pilots after retiring from flying, such as working as an instructor in a simulator earning 2 to 4 lakhs per month, or as a consultant in the field of aviation.

FAQs 

To Sum Up

Pilot salary in India is rewarding after the initial difficulty. Salary is lower for new graduates, but the potential for advancement is strong. By the 10th year of flying, most motivated pilots will be making between ₹60 lakh and ₹90 lakh, the top salary in the country.

Choosing the right airline, strategically building hours and getting upgraded to Captain as quickly as possible are the most important factors. Pilot salary in India will increase if they fly internationally or if they are qualified to fly wide-body aircraft.

If you are interested in aviation, it is important to know that a new pilot’s salary in India will not impress you. However, a senior pilot salary in India will. Most pilots will experience delayed gratification as a profession. They will see the greatest benefits from their work when they are in their middle to later years.

Are you interested in a career in aviation? For more information about becoming an airline pilot, including a comprehensive guide to training and licensing costs and the other career options available in aviation, visit CareerGrowKaro.