Most Amazon pilots earn around $110,000–$180,000 per year, with Amazon pilot pay varying by aircraft type, seniority, base, and contract.
If you are drawn to flying cargo jets in Amazon colours, one of your first questions is probably how much do amazon pilots make and what that pay looks like month to month.
Most pilots flying for Amazon Air or Amazon Prime Air work for partner airlines such as Atlas Air, ATI, or ABX under long term contracts. Public salary data from job sites and pilot groups places many Amazon pilots somewhere between the low six figures and the mid $200,000s once they have experience and a full flying schedule.
Online salary aggregators show estimates near $130,000 per year for an average Amazon pilot, with reported ranges that stretch from around $80,000 for newer first officers to more than $200,000 for senior captains on larger aircraft.
| Role | Approximate Annual Pay Range | Typical Hourly Band |
|---|---|---|
| New First Officer, Narrowbody (737) | $80,000–$120,000 | $90–$140 per hour |
| Experienced First Officer, Widebody (767) | $120,000–$170,000 | $130–$180 per hour |
| New Captain, Narrowbody (737) | $150,000–$200,000 | $180–$230 per hour |
| Senior Captain, Widebody (767) | $200,000–$260,000+ | $220–$300 per hour |
| Check Airman Or Training Captain | $230,000–$280,000+ | Base captain rate plus override |
| Reserve First Officer | $85,000–$130,000 | Similar hourly pay, fewer flight hours |
| Career Program Or Cadet First Officer | $60,000–$85,000 | Training pay with step raises |
These figures come from a mix of pilot contract summaries and salary aggregators. They sit slightly below the highest major passenger airline scales, but well above many entry level commercial pilot jobs such as small charter or regional flying.
Amazon Pilot Pay Per Year And Per Hour
Amazon cargo flights run day and night across long routes, so pay is structured around guaranteed hours and hourly flight rates, plus extras for time away from base. Instead of a flat monthly salary, pilots are usually paid per flight hour with a minimum number of hours guaranteed in the contract.
Large cargo operators often guarantee between 60 and 75 hours per month. When you multiply an hourly rate in the $100–$250 band by those hours, base pay lands in six figure territory. Extra flying, high value trips, and per diem raises that total further.
Yearly Salary Ranges By Experience Level
Early in an Amazon flying career, a first officer with the needed ratings might earn roughly $80,000–$110,000 per year while training, flying shorter legs, and learning the network.
After a few years, many first officers move into the $120,000–$160,000 band, and captains often land between $170,000 and $260,000+ depending on fleet, base, and how many trips they pick up.
Hourly Pay, Guarantee Hours And Extra Credits
Hourly pay is only part of the story. Most Amazon flying contracts include a monthly guarantee, duty rig rules, and per diem for days spent on the road. Duty rig means that even if you only fly a short leg on a long duty day, you still earn credit for more time than the actual wheels up time.
Per diem adds a daily or hourly allowance for food and incidentals while away from base. For pilots who spend two weeks at a time on trips, that allowance can add several thousand dollars per year on top of normal flight pay.
Many contracts also pay higher rates for holiday flying, training duties, or last minute schedule changes. Over a year, these pieces can lift total income for busy Amazon pilots well above the base number printed in the contract.
What Factors Affect Amazon Pilot Pay?
Amazon does not run its own airline under a single pay scale. Instead, the company buys lift from partner airlines that each have their own contracts and progression ladders. That means two Amazon branded flights can involve pilots with different pay rates even if the aircraft looks identical from the ramp.
Experience, seniority number, aircraft type, and home base all change the math. A new hire first officer on a 737 based in a lower cost city will sit near the bottom of the scale, while a long serving 767 captain in a high cost city stands closer to the top.
Aircraft Type And Seat
Heavier aircraft that carry more freight usually pay more per hour. Widebody jets such as the 767 or 777 bring higher hourly rates than a narrowbody 737, which means captains on those fleets have more earning power once they reach the top of the scale.
Seat matters as well. Moving from first officer to captain is one of the largest pay jumps in any flying career. On cargo fleets that fly long duty days, the difference in yearly income can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars once you hold a stable captain line.
Base, Schedule And Seniority
Many Amazon flying contracts pay the same rate across bases, but the hours you can hold and the trips you bid change with seniority. A senior pilot can bid for lines with more hours or high value pairings, while a newer pilot might sit reserve with fewer hours and shorter legs.
Schedule style matters for quality of life as well as money. Some pilots prefer long blocks of work with long stretches at home, even if that costs a little income. Others chase every high value trip they can grab. Amazon flying can suit both approaches once pilots gain seniority.
Across the wider airline industry, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage above $220,000 for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers, which shows how high long term pay can rise for pilots who stay in the field.
How Amazon Pilot Pay Compares To Other Flying Jobs
To judge Amazon pilot pay in context, it helps to compare Amazon cargo pay with broader cargo pilot ranges such as those listed by U.S. aviation training providers, which place cargo pilots for FedEx, UPS, and Amazon Air in the $120,000–$250,000+ band.
| Pilot Role | Typical Annual Pay Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Cargo Pilot | $120,000–$250,000+ | Based on contract cargo scales and reported ranges |
| Major Airline Captain | $250,000–$400,000+ | Top union contracts with long service |
| Major Airline First Officer | $120,000–$240,000 | Wide range based on fleet and seniority |
| Regional Airline Pilot | $80,000–$160,000 | Many start lower and climb with time |
| Non Airline Commercial Pilot | $60,000–$130,000 | Covers charter, corporate, and survey work |
Industry wide wage data shows that airline pilots as a group earn more than many other transportation workers, with cargo pilots such as those flying for Amazon landing in the upper half of that spread once they reach the left seat.
Benefits, Bonuses And Quality Of Life
Salary is only one part of Amazon flying. Most partner airlines include health coverage, retirement contributions, and travel benefits in their package. Cargo pilots may not get the same leisure travel perks as passenger airline crews, but pay and retirement plans often make up for that.
Sign on bonuses and retention bonuses have become more common in recent years as airlines compete for experienced crews. Some Amazon partner carriers advertise five figure incentives for pilots who join with time in type or who agree to training bonds.
Quality of life varies by contract. Long haul cargo trips can mean many nights away from home, sometimes on back to back rotations. Busy seasonal peaks, such as winter holidays, can bring heavy schedules along with higher income from extra flying and extra pay.
How To Decide Whether Amazon Pilot Pay Fits Your Goals
If you are comparing cargo jobs, ask about the full package, not just the hourly rate. Look at the guarantee hours, typical monthly credit for the fleet you want, and the value of benefits and retirement contributions. That will show the real yearly pay picture.
Talk with current pilots at Amazon partner airlines, read recent contract summaries, and run a few sample months through a spreadsheet. When you compare those totals with your target lifestyle and financial goals, you can see whether Amazon cargo flying sits in the right spot.
So if you still wonder how much do amazon pilots make, the simple answer is that many earn a strong six figure income once they reach a stable seat, with higher totals possible for captains who stack high value trips, and slightly lower but still solid pay for pilots early in their Amazon career.