MONTREAL- Air Canada (AC) is the flag carrier of Canada, owned (6.4%) by the Government of Canada with the remainder of its stake traded in the stock market – 75% domestically, 25% in the United States. It closely follows American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United as the dominant airline in North America, providing seamless connectivity to over 190 destinations with a fleet plussing 350 aircraft.
The operator is a member of the Star Alliance and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, with primary operational bases in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Alongside the full service carrier, Air Canada also has several subsidiaries including Air Canada Cargo, Air Canada Express, Air Canada Jets and Air Canada Rogue, as well as a holiday agency, Air Canada Vacations.
Presently, Air Canada has employed over 5,000 pilots to aid its own operations as well as those of its subsidiaries and has over 1,600 daily scheduled flights in all. At the backend of 2024, the airline was under the scanner by its own pilots for paying significantly less than its American rivals, although flying still remains one of Canada’s best paying professions.
Photo: Air CanadaAir Canada Pilot Salary
Air Canada First Officer Salary
Newer pilots out of flying schools or through Air Canada’s cadet program start as first officers on narrow-body aircraft, or relief pilots on wide-body flights. They generally tend to have between none to 10 years of experience, and depending on their overall hours in the cockpit, they are either mentored by captains or assist the commander in crucial decision-making in the air.
The duties of first officers include carrying out vital safety checks before and after a flight, handling communication and air traffic control, as well as in some cases, being responsible for flying the aircraft. At Air Canada, the co-pilots are paid in accordance with 75 flying hours each month and salaries range from CA$50,000 to CA$190,000 annually (US$35,000 to US$132,000) per year, depending on the type of aircraft flown as well as seniority in the FO role.
Additional flying hours in a month are compensated at a rate between CA$56 and CA$190 (US$39 to US$132), depending on the individual’s experience.
Photo: Air CanadaAir Canada Captain Salary
The captains at Air Canada are the senior-most members of the cockpit crew. These are individuals directly hired into the role from other carriers, or first officers with adequate experience within the airline that get promoted in due course. The commander is fully responsible for ensuring an on-time and safe flow of the entire flight.
Besides flying the aircraft and handling its vital systems, captains are in charge of the cockpit crew as well as any potential emergency situations which could arise. As with first officers, their basic compensation is calculated on the basis of 75 flying hours each month and salaries range from CA$215,000 to CA$350,000 per year (US$149,000 to US$243,000), largely depending on the type of aircraft they fly as well as total years of experience as a captain.
If an individual exceeds over 75 flying hours in a calendar month, an amount ranging between CA$275 and CA$300 (US$190 and US$210) is paid for each additional hours.
Also Check Out:
- American Airlines Pilot Salary in 2024: How Much First Officer and Captain Earn?
- Delta Airlines Pilot Salary 2024: How Much They Earn in A Year?
- United Airlines Pilot Salary in 2024: How to Join UA as a Pilot
Photo: Air CanadaBenefits enjoyed by Air Canada pilots
In addition to their basic compensation, Air Canada pilots are entitled to the following benefits throughout their employment with the airline.
- INSURANCE POLICY – A comprehensive medical insurance policy is offered to every pilot with global validity and coverage of all possible expenses. Besides the medical cover, a life insurance is also provided, which can be benefitted from in case of loss of life or circumstances causing an inability for the individual to continue work.
- STAFF TRAVEL – Air Canada pilots can avail travel benefits from themselves and nominated family members, without any upper limit. This allows the aviator and nominees to enjoy attractive discounted price on flight tickets on Air Canada’s entire network, as well as with flights operated by partner airlines under a codeshare agreement.
- DIVERSE WORK ENVIRONMENT – Working in a diverse environment, along with individuals from other backgrounds and nationalities, strengthens professional ties between pilots, while also opening opportunities for them to work in other capacities with the airline, as well as to be better positioned to pursue roles with foreign carriers.
- LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES – Air Canada sponsors relevant certifications and courses for its pilots if anybody wishes to undertaking further training that could directly or indirectly benefit their ability to do the job. These include type ratings on other aircrafts in AC’s fleet, language learning and other such topics that personnel can choose from.
- ALLOWANCES – Over and above their salaries, Air Canada pilots are provided allowances while on layover for meals and other miscellaneous expenses. This amount differs between captains and first officers, as well as the destination. Additionally, transportation from their accommodation to airport is also expended by the airline.
Photo: Air CanadaWhat aircraft do Air Canada pilots fly?
Air Canada’s full-service arm boasts the following fleet of Airbus and Boeing airplanes which pilots have the opportunity to operate.
- Airbus A220 – 38
- Airbus A319-100 – 4
- Airbus A320-200 – 18
- Airbus A321-200 – 20
- Airbus A330-300 – 20
- Boeing 737 MAX 8 – 43
- Boeing 767-300ER – 2
- Boeing 777-200LR – 6
- Boeing 777-300ER – 19
- Boeing 787-8 – 8
- Boeing 787-9 – 31
In addition to its existing fleet, AC has the below airplanes on order.
- Airbus A220-300 – 31
- Airbus A321XLR – 30
- Boeing 737 MAX 8 – 9
- Boeing 787-9 – 1
- Boeing 787-10 – 18
- Heart ES-30 – 30
Photo: Air CanadaHow to become a pilot at Air Canada?
For first officers, depending on whether they are applying after graduation or are experienced, the following requirements prevail.
- Graduates of a three or four year diploma/degree program from a college or university
- Aviation College degree or diploma
- Commercial or military flight experience
- Jet and/or glass cockpit experience
- 1000 hours of fixed wing flying time
- Completion of schooling to the university entrance level
- Ability to pass the Air Canada and Transport Canada medical and visual acuity requirements for a Category 1 medical certificate
- Canadian Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), current Group 1 (Multi-engine) Instrument Rating
- Canadian citizenship or landed immigrant status
Photo: Air CanadaMeanwhile, captains must fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for the role.
- Graduates of a three- or four-year diploma/degree program from a college or university
- Aviation College degree or diploma
- Commercial or military flight experience
- Jet and/or turbo-prop multi-crew experience
- 2000 hours of fixed wing flying time
- Ability to pass the Air Canada and Transport Canada medical and visual acuity requirements for a Category 1 medical certificate
- Canadian Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), current Group 1 (Multi-engine) Instrument Rating
- Canadian passport or landed immigrant status
- The ability to hold a Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC)
- Candidates must be eligible to work in Canada, and to travel without restriction throughout the Air Canada network. Any required work permits/visas or other authorizations which may be required is the sole responsibility of the candidates applying for this position.
Photo: Damien Pereira Délégué du Québec à Séoul – Chief representative Quebec Government office in SeoulAir Canada Pilot FAQs
Air Canada pilots receive a salary ranging from CA$50,000 to CA$350,000, depending on their seniority within the airline, experience level and type of aircraft flown. Additionally, they are entitled to layover allowances and other industry-typical benefits.
Air Canada has a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, operating narrow as well as wide-body airliners.
Air Canada pilots are based in one of four crew bases – Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg – depending on a combination of preferred location and operational requirements.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
Singapore Airlines Pilot Salary in 2024
The post Air Canada Pilot Salary in 2025 appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
