A Look At The Salaries Of Pilots In Canada In 2025

Across Canada, the typical professional pilot earns just over six figures on average, with a wide range of salaries at both the high and low ends. Canada’s pay is not low by international standards, but pales in comparison to the United States just across the border, which is the highest in the world.

2024 nearly witnessed a strike by 5,000 unionized pilots before Air Canada offered a 20% immediate raise followed by annual increases, according to Reuters. The final deal resulted in a 42% salary hike over four years, as reported by CBC.

The nations’ largest carriers suffer from a shortage of aircrew, as do many countries around the world, making pilot retention a crucial business consideration. Although flying in the Great North is not the top-earning location, it is still ranked highly on the global scale.

Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) separate operators into classes based on the size and type of aircraft as well as the type of transportation, i.e. cargo versus passenger. The top class is referred to as 705 operators. That’s what all the major airlines fall under, such as Air Canada, WestJet, or Porter Airlines. Underneath 705 are 704, 703, and 702, respectively.

The pay scale ranges widely depending on the operator class and job designation. Airline captains earn the most, with pay topping out at around $250,000 CAD, according to Flight Trainers Canada. Cargo captains are competitive but come in lower, around $205,000 at the high end. Entry-level pay is modest daily regardless of carrier class, hovering around $25-30 per hour or $40,000 annually.

Flight Trainers Canada outlines the pay per class of operator in the following general ranges:

The biggest factors that influence pay are license, type ratings, and experience. For context, the most senior airline captains in the US can earn as much as $350,000-$400,000 USD, as ATP Flight School reports. Meanwhile, in the Asia-Pacific region, pay is roughly half that amount. As pilot unions continue to press for better wages and benefits, flying in Canada is both a rewarding and lucrative career.

National Airlines

The highest-paying pilot careers are concentrated in the field of passenger jet captains. The job is the most demanding, with the greatest risk, but it comes with a high reward. Attaining the status of a senior airline captain is no small feat, and only years of dedication will get an aspiring new pilot to that level. There are no shortcuts to the big bucks, but the experience gained after flying for many years is a highly valuable commodity that will fetch a quarter-million dollars a year from Canada’s top carriers.

Breaking that down hourly puts commercial pilots on the high end of the scale at $100 per hour, according to the Government of Canada’s Job Bank database. The general hourly pay scale for professional pilots across Canada (including non-705 operators) follows this basic breakdown as outlined by the national government from wage data:

705 operators can fly anything from a Boeing 737 MAX to an Airbus A380. The smaller Embraer E175s, Bombardier CRJ900s, and Airbus A220s still fall into this classification as they accommodate more than 20 passengers. This is the most in-demand category for career pilots and thus commands the best salaries.

Air Canada is the leading airline in the country today. However, Air Transat, WestJet and Porter Airlines are strong carriers as well. The national government is developing programs to enhance pilot training and encourage more pilots to further their training and gain experience. A shortage of aircrew was already measurable before the Covid-19 pandemic, but has since worsened.

As the resurgence in demand for air travel continues to grow stronger following the Coronavirus halt in air travel, the demand for pilots and aircraft is also continuously increasing. Like the manufacturers that are struggling to keep up with airline demand, pilot training is ramping up to not only bring more new pilots into the industry but also help current professionals develop skills and progress in their careers.

Small Air Carriers

Canadian Aviation Regulation (CAR) 704 pertains to aircraft that carry less than 20 passengers. This is a small pool that flies charter and specialized services. Some examples of aircraft that a carrier in this class might operate include a variety of propeller-powered planes like the Cessna 408 SkyCourier or the Beechcraft 1900. Helicopters that seat 10-19 passengers would also be under the umbrella of CAR 704.

A good example is North-Wright Air, which offers passenger flights, cargo hauling, and charter services. The small air service has five Beech 1900s on its flightline. Including other airframes, the total fleet amounts to 20 aircraft supported by a team of 70 employees. North-Wright serves the Northwest Territories, where light aircraft are indispensable to reach remote communities with limited infrastructure.

The pilot experience flying for carriers like North-Wright includes bush flying to dirt strips in austere areas and float plane service to communities where the water offers the best landing space. The DeHavilland Canada Twin Otter is a staple airframe in this category of aviation, as a rugged and reliable propeller, widely considered to be among the best bush planes in the world.

Air Taxi Operators

Next up is the air taxi class, or CAR 703, according to Lexpert. The Beechcraft King Air is the most iconic aircraft found in this category of air travel. The Pilatus PC-12 is another example of a turboprop, while the HondaJet, Embraer Phenom 300, and Cessna Citation are some jets that fall into this category. Small helicopters that seat a few passengers at a time are also included.

There are over 100 air taxi companies in Canada with a variety of specialties across Canada, according to the US Department of Transportation. One example is Fast Air, with locations in Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. The carrier offers charter, cargo, and air ambulance services. Its fleet includes the King Air 350, Citation X, Gulfstream 150, PC-12, and more.

Pilots in this line of work will be up close with passengers, flying small groups on demand wherever the mission of the day dictates. The job requires more flexibility than mainline commercial flying, and although the pay is not as high as the big commercial airlines, this class offers a great opportunity to develop pilot skills and gain experience.

Specialized Operators

The pilots who fly for operators classified under CAR 702 typically perform specialized missions such as aerial survey, forest fire management, or forestry service. Parachute jumping aircraft, small cargo planes, and small air ambulances also fall into this category. Towing aircraft, whether it’s gliders or banners, and some helicopter operators are included too.

702 operators can fly some small charter and passenger planes. This is an area for pilots just starting their careers or senior aircrew who fly unique missions. The airframes flown by these operators are not restricted by weight or capacity, but instead by mission and purpose.

The Pilot’s Roadmap

Typical entry-level work for a pilot will include becoming an instructor for the next batch of trainees after graduation from flight school. Other options include flying banner-towing aircraft and aerial survey. These are typically low-paying jobs in the $25-30 per hour range that serve as interim positions while fresh pilots work up the ladder of more advanced training.

Regional air service is a common stepping stone to flying mainline commercial aircraft like the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320. Once a pilot completes training to fly as a first officer on a narrowbody airliner, there is no need to recertify for a larger jet like a widebody 777 or A350. The track to senior captain is one of experience and skill, and while multiple types of certifications make for an impressive resume, it is not always necessary.

Getting certified to fly regional aircraft like ATR 42 and 72 turboprops or Embraer E175 jets is the next big step up. Porter Airlines has a fleet of nearly 80 regional aircraft split between the Embraer E2 and DeHavilland Dash 8, as Planespotters.net records.

If an aspiring pilot doesn’t have a clear career target at the outset, there are multiple avenues available for rewarding career options that pay lucrative salaries at the senior level. On the other hand, if the goal is to achieve a well-paying rank with a commercial airline from the start, then the most direct route is to train for passenger service on the most popular aircraft in the industry.

Air Canada flies relatively equal numbers of A320 and 737 family jets in its fleet, with 47 of each, according to Planespotters.net data. Meanwhile, WestJet has a 150-strong 737 fleet and Air Transat only flies A320s in its narrowbody lineup. Knowing what airlines are flying, or will fly in the future, is crucial for planning as an aspiring airline pilot.