Pilot Salary Australia: Award Rates and Take-Home Pay Guide

Pilot Salary Australia: Award Rates and Take-Home Pay

If you are looking for a pilot salary Australia guide, you need to know that pay varies significantly by aircraft type, role, and experience. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the Air Pilots Award (MA000046), which sets minimum hourly rates for captains, first officers, and aerial application pilots. These rates are updated regularly, with the latest effective from 14 July 2026.

Award Rates for Captains and First Officers

Under the award, captains are paid by the hour based on aircraft weight and configuration. For example:

• Single engine under 1,360 kg: $29.47 per hour
• Multi engine 19,000 kg and above: $50.73 per hour
• Narrow-body aircraft: $92.52 per hour
• Wide-body double deck: $119.93 per hour

First officers earn lower rates, starting at $26.45 per hour for single-engine aircraft and rising to $65.65 per hour for Airbus A320 or Boeing 737-300/400. Aerial application pilots have weekly rates from $978.10 to $1,116.80 depending on flying hours.

These are minimums; many employers pay above award. Jobs and Skills Australia reports that median weekly earnings for aeroplane pilots are not publicly available at the detailed occupation level, but the full-time adult ordinary time earnings benchmark is $2,083.70 per week (ABS, May 2026).

Take-Home Pay After Tax and Medicare

Your take-home pay depends on your gross salary, tax bracket, and the Medicare levy. For the 2026–27 tax year, the tax rates are:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15 cents per $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30 cents per $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37 cents per $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45 cents per $1 over $190,000

The Medicare levy is 2% of taxable income. For single people, the levy is reduced if your income is between $28,011 and $35,013 (the latest published thresholds). Full-time salaries typically pay the full 2%.

For example, a captain earning $92.52 per hour working 38 hours per week for 52 weeks earns about $182,900 annually. After tax (approximately $51,370 + 45% on the excess over $190,000? Actually $182,900 is below $190,000, so tax is $31,020 + 37% on $47,900 = $17,723, total tax $48,743) and Medicare ($3,658), take-home is around $130,500. This is an estimate; your actual situation may differ due to deductions, HELP/HECS, or salary packaging.

Comparing to National Benchmarks

The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week. Even the lowest pilot award rate ($26.45) is just above the minimum. Most pilots earn significantly more. The full-time adult ordinary time earnings benchmark is $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 annually). A first officer on a narrow-body jet earning $65.65 per hour would gross about $129,700 per year, well above that benchmark.

Superannuation

Employers must pay superannuation at 12% of your ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2026, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. If your job ad says "plus super", the super is on top of your salary and not deducted from your take-home pay.

Key Takeaways

• Pilot salary Australia is governed by the Air Pilots Award, with rates from $26.45 to $119.93 per hour.
• Take-home pay after tax and Medicare can be estimated using the 2026–27 tax tables.
• Compare your rate to the Minimum wage and Average pay benchmarks.
• Use the Take-home pay calculator for a personalised estimate.

For more details on tax and Medicare, see Tax and Medicare. If you are considering salary packaging, check Salary packaging.