According to the latest contracts at American Airlines, senior captain pilots earn between $324 and $460 per flight hour. With standard monthly flight hours, this translates to an annual income of $400,000 to $500,000. With bonuses, per diems, and profit-sharing, these figures can climb even higher.
The 2025 Medscape Physician Compensation Report shows that the average annual salary of a doctor in the U.S. is $374,000. Primary care physicians earn around $287,000, while many specialist doctors make approximately $404,000. This means that senior wide-body captains are now on par with — or even surpassing — many doctors in earnings.
Behind this difference lies the post-COVID wave of retirements and the increased demand for pilots as airlines continue to expand. To avoid leaving cockpits empty, companies have been forced to sign the most lucrative contracts in their history.
