Pilot pay consists of several elements. This includes base pay set out on a pay scale in their contract, and this has increased two per cent each year under the contract agreed upon in 2014.

But this is not the full story. In addition, as pilots progress through their careers to operate larger aircraft or move from first officer to captain, their pay significantly increases to recognize their experience and increased responsibility. A pilot who was with Air Canada in 2014, at the start of the current contract, has seen an hourly rate increase of 65 per cent, more than double the increase of the Consumer Price Index (29 per cent).

Based on the most recent information, the time to upgrade to narrow-body Captain is typically 3-5 years, and 11-15 years to wide-body Captain. In 2023, depending on the type of aircraft they fly, Air Canada captains earned on average between $215,075 and $351,958 per year. The average narrow body aircraft pilot works 13.31 days per month and the average wide-body aircraft pilot works 11.78 days per month.

In addition to base pay, Air Canada offers a comprehensive benefits package. This includes a defined benefit pension retirement program, the opportunity to participate in the airline’s Annual Incentive Plan, generous travel privileges that continue after retirement and more.

Air Canada intends to be an employer of choice in Canada. It will be the best-paying airline in the country for pilots once a new collective agreement is reached. But it must balance this against the associated cost and the willingness of customers to pay for this increase through higher airfares, and its responsibilities to its shareholders as a publicly traded company.

Contacts:           media@aircanada.com                     

Online:               aircanada.com/media   

Corporate Communications: September 9, 2024