Southwest Pilot Salary: Pay, Benefits & Calculator (2026)

Southwest pilot pay ranges from $140,504 to $360,300 for first officers, and from $351,272 to $514,710 for captains (annual base pay estimates, from the 93-TFP average reserve guarantee in year one to a 125-TFP high-credit average in year 12).

Southwest pilots, represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), work under a five-year collective bargaining agreement ratified in 2024. The $12 billion agreement delivered an immediate 29.15% raise, then annual raises through 2028, for a cumulative increase of about 50%.

Beyond increased pay, the agreement brought enhanced scheduling practices, improved parental leave, and a higher company retirement contribution.

Southwest Airlines Overview

Southwest Airlines is an American low-cost carrier (LCC) operating flights across the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

• Founded: March 1967 (as Air Southwest)
• Commenced operations: June 1971 (as Southwest Airlines)
• Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
• IATA: WN — ICAO: SWA — Callsign: Southwest
• Destinations: ~117
• Fleet size: 799 (454 on order)
• Number of pilots: ~11,000
• Pilot union: Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA)

Southwest Pilot Pay Scale

Southwest narrowbody pay is on par with the legacy carriers. Legacy airlines pull ahead only on widebody scales, which Southwest doesn’t have because it flies only 737s.

Southwest pays in Trips For Pay (TFP), not block hours. Therefore, comparing rates with other airlines requires some math.

One TFP covers the higher of a standard trip of 243 miles or less, or the first 55 minutes of scheduled block time.

To compare with other airlines, use SWAPA’s 1.149 conversion rate to convert TFP to hourly pay. It reflects Southwest’s older network, and the company proposed 1.162 during negotiations, but SWAPA rejected it.

First Officer Pay Scale

In 2026, Southwest First officers start at $125.90 per TFP (~$144.66/hr) in year one, topping out at $240.20 per TFP (~$275.99/hr) by year 12.

First Officer Annual Pay

Annual pay estimates for Southwest first officers at the new 2026 hourly rates (based on the 93-TFP reserve monthly guarantee average for year one and a 110-TFP monthly average for subsequent years):

• Year 1: $140,504
• Year 2: $230,314
• Year 3: $274,322
• Year 6: $294,004
• Year 12: $317,064

Captain Pay Scale

In 2026, Southwest captains start at $314.76 per TFP (~$361.66/hr) in year one, maxing out at $343.14 per TFP (~$394.27/hr) by year 12.

Captain Annual Pay

Annual pay estimates for Southwest captains (based on the 93-TFP monthly reserve guarantee average year one and a 110-TFP monthly average for subsequent years):

• Year 1: $351,272
• Year 2: $418,757
• Year 3: $422,044
• Year 6: $432,353
• Year 12: $452,945

Southwest Pilot Salary Calculator

Pay Breakdown

Let’s break down how rigs, premium pay, and other incentives shape a Southwest pilot’s paycheck.

Scheduled Pay

Scheduled Pay is the higher of Mileage Pay or Over-Schedule Pay:

• Mileage Pay: A standard trip of 243 statute miles or less pays 1 TFP, while a non-standard trip adds 0.1 TFP for each additional 40 statute miles (distance measured airport to airport, not as flown)
• Over-Schedule Pay: Scheduled block pays 1 TFP for the first 55 minutes, plus 0.1 TFP for each additional 5-minute increment

Overfly Pay

Actual pay can run above Scheduled Pay. Overfly Pay adds 0.02 TFP per minute flown over a scheduled block, starting at minute one.

Minimums & Rigs

• Minimum Monthly Guarantee: 89 TFP in a 31-day bid period, 87 TFP in a 30-day bid period, and 84 TFP in a 28- or 29-day bid period (February) for line holders
• Reserve Daily Guarantee: 6 TFP per day if not assigned
• Minimum Days Off: 15 days for reserves (14 days in February), 16 days for line holders
• Duty Period Minimum: 5 TFP per duty period
• Average Daily Guarantee: 6.5 TFP per day in a pairing
• Duty Rig: 0.74:1 (0.74 TFP for every duty hour, equivalent to a 1:1.55 block hour rig)
• Trip Rig: 1 TFP for every 3 hours away from domicile

Premium Pay

• Junior Assignments: 200% pay, or full rig value, whichever is greater
• Holiday Pay: 150% for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s
• International Override: 3% of leg credit for flying outside the contiguous 48 states

Deadhead & Per Diem

• Deadhead: 1:1 (100% pay)
• Per Diem: $2.90 per hour domestically (CONUS) and $3.45 per hour internationally (OCONUS), with rates increasing 2.5% each January 1

Training Pay

Southwest offers full pay (monthly guarantee) and full benefits from day one. During training, the airline also provides single-occupancy hotel accommodations and transportation to and from the training facility.

Benefits

Southwest pilots receive some of the best benefits in the industry, anchored by a retirement plan that holds its own against any legacy carrier.

There’s stability, too. The airline has never filed for bankruptcy in over 50 years of flying, a rare feat when nearly every major U.S. carrier has gone through Chapter 11 at least once.

Southwest skips Preferential Bidding, so pilots see the exact line they’re bidding on instead of guessing. They can also swap or pick up trips through one of the industry’s most flexible trip-trading systems.

The airline also groups most flights into an A.M. or P.M. pattern, allowing pilots to keep a consistent sleep schedule.

That said, upgrade time fluctuates depending on base, hiring pauses, retirement waves, and delivery delays. The typical timeline runs 7 to 10 years, one of the slowest paths to the left seat among majors.

Healthcare

Southwest offers comprehensive healthcare benefits through UMR (a UnitedHealthcare company) or Aetna depending on ZIP code, with three plan options under the BenefitsPlus program:

• Health Savings Plan: Lowest cost per payslip, but highest deductible and out-of-pocket maximum
• Choice Plan C: Moderate cost per payslip, deductible, and out-of-pocket maximum
• Choice Plus Plan: Highest cost per payslip, but lowest annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximum

A Regular Plan Program is also available with one medical plan option, featuring a $0 cost per payslip with lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums than any of the BenefitsPlus plans. However, it excludes preventive care and other services.

The Health Savings Plan is the only option compatible with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Health Savings Plan Enrollees can also add a Limited Purpose Healthcare FSA to cover eligible medical expenses.

The other BenefitsPlus options (Choice Plus and Choice Plan C) only qualify for a standard healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Retirement Plan

Southwest provides an 18% Non-Elective Contribution (NEC) of eligible wages into pilots’ 401(k). The airline also offers a dollar-for-dollar company match on voluntary pilot 401(k) contributions.

• Market-Based Cash Balance Plan (MBCBP): Southwest contributes 2% of eligible income directly into this specialized pension account up to the IRS income cap.

Profit Sharing

As of May 31, 2024, Southwest transferred and merged the net assets of its ProfitSharing Plan into its 401(k) plan, combining them into a single vehicle called the Retirement Savings Plan.

Southwest was the first U.S. airline to establish a profit-sharing program, dating back to 1973. Southwest contributes 15% of its eligible pre-tax profits into the profit-sharing pool each year.

The actual percentage of eligible pay credited to each pilot comes from dividing the total profit-sharing amount by the total eligible employee wages for the year.

Pilots received 15.6% of their eligible pay in 2015, Southwest’s best year on record, while in recent years the percentage has fallen to around 1% amid Southwest’s declining profitability.

SWAPA members vote annually on what percentage of profit-sharing goes into the 401(k) versus cash. Southwest pilots choose between 3.5%, 7%, or the full amount.

Life & Disability Insurance

• Life & AD&D Insurance: up to $800,000 with options to elect reduced levels
• Loss of License: 50% of pre-disability income benefit with no caps, lasting until FAA mandatory retirement age

Voluntary Insurance

• Optional Life Insurance: up to 10 times annual base pay, capped at $2.95 million
• Optional AD&D Insurance: up to 10 times annual salary, capped at $2 million
• Short-Term Disability
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance

Vacation Time

Southwest pilots receive up to five weeks of paid vacation annually, with new hires accruing 1.16 days of vacation per month during their first calendar year.

Sick Leave

Southwest pilots accrue sick leave at a rate of 1 TFP of sick time for every 10 straight-time TFPs earned during a bid period. Unused sick time rolls over each year up to a maximum bank of 1,600 TFP.

Parental Leave

Pilots receive 6 to 8 weeks of paid maternity leave, 2 weeks of paid parental leave, and up to 10 additional weeks of unpaid bonding time.

Travel Perks

• Unlimited, fee-waived, space-available travel on any Southwest flight, along with an unlimited 20% discount on all purchased Southwest flights for pilots and eligible travelers
• ZED fares on 180+ partner airlines
• 8 round-trip Guest Passes or up to 50,000 Rapid Rewards points per year

Pilot Bases

As of October 2026, Southwest Airlines has 13 bases across the U.S.:

1. ATL: Atlanta, GA
2. AUS: Austin, TX
3. BNA: Nashville, TN
4. BWI: Baltimore, MD
5. DAL: Dallas (Love Field), TX
6. DEN: Denver, CO
7. HOU: Houston (Hobby), TX
8. LAS: Las Vegas, NV
9. LAX: Los Angeles, CA
10. MCO: Orlando, FL
11. MDW: Chicago (Midway), IL
12. OAK: Oakland, CA
13. PHX: Phoenix, AZ

Southwest runs a monthly vacancy bid, so a pilot gets up to 12 chances a year to bid for a domicile change. Seniority and base demand still decide who actually gets the move.

Fleet

Southwest Airlines began service with three Boeing 737-200s and has since grown into the world’s largest 737 operator.

As of October 2026, Southwest’s fleet comprises 799 aircraft with 454 on order.

Final Thoughts

Southwest pilots locked in their raises through 2028, putting both first officers and captains among the best-paid narrowbody pilots in the country.

Years of service set the pay rate, but the seniority list sets who gets first pick of upgrades, bases, and schedules.

With roughly 11,000 pilots on that list, that’s a long line to stand in.

Duke Armitage

I'm an Embraer 175/195 and A320 airline pilot with thousands of hours across three continents. I grew up dreaming of flying, and now I share that passion through Aviamonde to make aviation simple for pilots, enthusiasts, and travelers.