Qantas pilot salary 2025: award, enterprise agreement, and the legal minimum

Qantas pilot salary 2025: understanding the pay floor

If you are searching for "qantas pilot salary 2025", you are likely trying to work out the minimum pay for a Qantas pilot and how it compares with legal standards. The answer depends on whether the pilot is covered by the Air Pilots Award 2020 or the Qantas Short Haul Enterprise Agreement 2024 (EBA9). This guide explains the layers of pay regulation and what each means for a Qantas pilot.

The legal minimum: national minimum wage

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage each year. From 1 July 2026, the adult rate 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. However, this floor applies only to employees who are not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. Qantas pilots are covered by either the Air Pilots Award or the EBA9, so the national minimum wage is not their direct pay floor.

The Air Pilots Award 2020

The Air Pilots Award 2020 [MA000046] is the modern award that sets minimum salaries and conditions for pilots and helicopter aircrew not covered by an enterprise agreement. The award includes detailed salary tables based on aircraft type, weight, and pilot role. For example, a Captain flying a piston-engine aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 3810 kg on commuter operations, holding a command instrument rating, earns an annual salary of $70,496 plus additions of $2,049.11 (command instrument rating) and $8,196.42 (multi-engine). This totals $80,741.53 per year. The award calculates casual pay as 1/800th of the annual salary plus additions, then adds a 25% casual loading, resulting in an hourly rate of $126.16. This is well above the national minimum casual rate of $33.05.

The award also provides for a "standard rate" – the minimum salary for a Captain single-engine UTBNI 1360 kg divided by 52 – which is used for various calculations. The award is updated periodically; the version current as of July 2026 incorporates amendments up to 14 July 2026.

The Qantas Short Haul Enterprise Agreement 2024 (EBA9)

For Qantas short-haul pilots, the applicable pay instrument is the Qantas Airways Limited Pilots (Short Haul) Enterprise Agreement 2024, known as EBA9. This agreement was approved by the Fair Work Commission on 16 May 2025 and operates from that date, with a nominal expiry date of 31 August 2028. It applies to all pilots in Qantas short-haul operations (B737 and A320 fleets) and overrides the Air Pilots Award 2020.

The EBA9 sets annual salaries and incremental pay scales for Captains and First Officers, as well as pay for First Officers on Training (FOTs). It includes provisions for additional hourly rates after exceeding minimum guarantee hours, roster disruption credits, pattern credit guarantees, and reserve duty pay. The agreement also calls up certain clauses from the earlier Integration Award. Exact salary figures are not reproduced in the approval decision snippet, but the agreement is designed to provide rates above the award minimum.

Comparing the rates

To understand how a Qantas pilot salary in 2025 compares, consider the award example: a Captain on a mid-size multi-engine aircraft earns at least $70,496 per year (plus additions). That is about $1,355.69 per week, which is above the national minimum weekly wage of $1,004.90 but below the ABS average full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026). The EBA9 rates are negotiated to be competitive and are likely higher than the award, though exact figures are not public in the decision.

Remember that all salary figures are before tax. Employers must also pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. For a pilot earning $70,496 per year, the employer would contribute an additional $8,459.52 to super.

Which pay floor applies?

For a Qantas short-haul pilot, the EBA9 is the operative document. It sets the minimum pay and conditions. If a pilot is not covered by an enterprise agreement (e.g., some QantasLink or Jetstar pilots may have different agreements), the Air Pilots Award 2020 applies. The award can also set higher rates than the national minimum. In all cases, the national minimum wage is a backstop – if an award or agreement rate falls below it (which is unlikely for pilots), the national minimum would apply.

For more detail on how pay floors work, see Which minimum wage applies. You can also explore Rate tables for award classifications.

Superannuation and other payments

Superannuation is an employer payment on top of the salary. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12%. This is not deducted from the salary but paid separately. The EBA9 also includes provisions for loss of licence insurance, staff travel entitlements, and redundancy pay (up to 95 weeks). These are in addition to the salary.

Summary

• National minimum wage (2026-27): $26.44/h, $1,004.90/week, casual $33.05/h.
• Air Pilots Award 2020 minimum for a Captain (multi-engine up to 5660 kg): $70,496/year plus additions, casual rate $126.16/h.
• Qantas Short Haul EBA9: higher negotiated rates, effective from May 2025.
• Super guarantee: 12% on top.

If you are a Qantas pilot, your exact salary will be set out in your enterprise agreement. For award-covered pilots, the Fair Work Ombudsman provides pay calculators. This site does not replace professional advice. See How the figures work for our methodology.