What is the minimum wage for an airline pilot?

The legal minimum wage for an adult award-free employee is $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week) from 1 July 2026. However, most airline pilots are covered by the Airline Operations Award 2020 or an enterprise agreement, which sets higher minimum rates. Without the specific award classification, the exact minimum cannot be stated here. Check your award or agreement for your classification's rate.

Do airline pilots get superannuation?

Yes. Employers must pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. This applies to all employees, including airline pilots, regardless of whether they are paid under an award, agreement, or the national minimum wage. The super is paid in addition to the base salary.

How do I find the award rate for my pilot classification?

The Fair Work Ombudsman provides pay tools and award summaries. For airline pilots, the relevant modern award is the Airline Operations Award 2020. You can use the Ombudsman's 'Find my award' tool or check your enterprise agreement. If you are award-free and agreement-free, the national minimum wage applies, but this is rare for pilots.

Airline Pilot Salary: How It Compares to the Legal Minimum and Award Rates

The legal minimum for an adult award-free employee is $26.44 per hour, but airline pilots are typically covered by an award or agreement that sets higher rates; a precise market average is not available in this reference.

Airline Pilot Salary: Understanding the Legal Floor

When you search for "airline pilot salary", you likely want to know what you should be paid or how an offer compares. The answer depends on whether you are covered by a modern award, an enterprise agreement, or are award-free. This guide uses the on-site reference to explain the legal minimums and how to check your own rate.

The National Minimum Wage as a Backstop

From 1 July 2026, the adult national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate $33.05 per hour. These figures apply to national-system employees who are award-free and agreement-free. However, most airline pilots are not award-free; they are covered by the Airline Operations Award 2020 or an enterprise agreement. The national minimum wage acts as a safety net: no employee can be paid less than this, but awards and agreements must set higher rates.

Award Coverage for Airline Pilots

The Airline Operations Award 2020 sets minimum wages for various pilot classifications, such as First Officer, Captain, and different aircraft types. These rates are higher than the national minimum wage. The Fair Work Commission reviews award rates annually. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, modern award minimum wages rise by 4.75%, but the lowest ongoing classification cannot fall below the national minimum. Introductory rates for the first six months are capped at $25.74 per hour or $978.10 per week. Because the reference does not include the specific award rates for pilots, you should consult the Fair Work Ombudsman's website or your employer for the exact classification rate.

Separating the Different Pay Floors

It is important to distinguish between:

Legal minimum: the national minimum wage ($26.44/h) – this is the absolute floor.
Award minimum: the rate set by the Airline Operations Award for your classification – this is higher than the legal minimum.
Enterprise agreement: a negotiated rate that can be above the award.
Survey average: the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports average earnings. For May 2026, full-time adult ordinary-time earnings were $2,083.70 per week, and all employees average total earnings were $1,579.20 per week. These are broad averages, not specific to pilots. No reliable market average for airline pilot salary is available in this reference.

Practical Check: How Does Your Hourly Rate Compare?

To check your pay, take your annual salary and divide by 52 weeks, then by 38 hours (ordinary hours). For example, an annual salary of $100,000 gives a weekly rate of $1,923.08 and an hourly rate of $50.61. Compare this to the national minimum of $26.44 per hour. If you are covered by an award, compare to the award classification rate. Remember that superannuation of 12% is paid on top of your ordinary time earnings – it is not part of your base salary.

Internal Resources

For more detail on which pay floor applies to you, see Which minimum wage applies. To view the national minimum wage rates and award backstop figures, visit the Rate tables. These pages explain how the figures are calculated and how to apply them.

Important Notes

The figures in this guide are from the on-site reference and apply from 1 July 2026. They are not a pay determination or legal advice.
Juniors, apprentices, trainees, and supported wage employees may receive less than the adult rate.
State system employees (some in Western Australia) may be covered by state awards.
Always check your specific award or agreement for the correct rate.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.