Private Jet Pilot Salary and Flight Attendant Pay

Private jet pilots are some of the best-paid commercial pilots outside the major airlines, and pay climbs steeply with the size of the jet. This guide uses only public sources: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage survey and job posts on employers' own career pages, each linked so you can check it.

The short answer: the BLS puts the median wage for commercial pilots in the charter industry at $133,150 a year (May 2025). Published posts for business jet captains run from about $145,000 on a midsize jet to $390,000 on the largest Bombardier Global, and charter-industry flight attendants earn a median of $70,700.

What the government data says

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey publishes pay by occupation and by industry. Business jet charter falls in "nonscheduled air transportation" (NAICS 481200), the industry of charter and on-demand operators. Most pilots there are counted as commercial pilots; the BLS does not publish an airline-pilot figure for that industry.

1. Airline pilots, all industries$232,140
2. Commercial pilots, charter industry$133,150
3. Commercial pilots, all industries$123,220
4. Flight attendants, charter industry$70,700
5. Flight attendants, all industries$63,580

The spread inside the charter industry is wide: a quarter of its commercial pilots earned under $95,820 and a quarter over $214,010. That range tracks the aircraft. A pilot flying a turboprop or light jet is near the bottom; a captain on a large-cabin Gulfstream or Global near the top. Corporate flight departments (companies that run their own jets under Part 91) are spread across other industries in the survey, so they are not separated out.

The BLS projects pilot employment to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035 and flight attendant employment 9%, both faster than the average for all occupations.

What business jet operators advertise

Job posts with a stated salary are the most direct evidence of current pay. These were live on the employers' own career sites when we checked them on October 5, 2026; all are base pay, before per diem, bonuses and benefits.

Flexjet's pilot careers page says first-year pilots "can expect to earn up to $175,000", plus per diem. Posts change often, and employers note that pay depends on the base, the aircraft and experience.

Why pay varies so much

• Aircraft size. Bigger jets carry higher-value missions, longer trips and more demanding type ratings. Captain pay roughly doubles from a midsize jet to an ultra-long-range one in the posts above.
• Seat. Captains (pilot in command) earn about 30% to 60% more than first officers on the same type.
• Type of operator. Fractional and large charter operators often have seniority pay scales and fixed rotations, such as 7 days on and 7 off. Corporate flight departments and single-aircraft owners pay by negotiation and may expect more flexibility.
• Base. Posts based at New York-area airports such as Teterboro pay more than the same seat elsewhere.
• Schedule. Per diem, overnight pay and bonuses for extra days can add meaningfully to base pay.

What the job requires

The rules depend on how the flight is operated.

An ATP normally requires 1,500 hours of flight time (14 CFR 61.159), with reduced minimums for some military and university-trained pilots. Every jet also needs a type rating for that model, earned in a simulator course, and pilots repeat training on the type every year. Part 91 versus 121 versus 135 explains the rule sets.

Flight attendants are required on Part 135 aircraft with more than 19 passenger seats (14 CFR 135.107), so most business jets do not have to carry one. Large-cabin owners and operators often do anyway, and many corporate flight attendants hold specialist training in cabin safety, food handling and service.

Where the jobs are

Business aviation hires through a few channels: charter operators and aircraft management companies, fractional and jet card programs, corporate flight departments, and private owners. Charter operators fly under a Part 135 certificate, which sets the training, duty-time and pilot-experience rules above. Most post openings on their own career pages, as in the table above, and pilot pay rises fastest for those who move up to larger types.

CRAFT is a Part 135 operator flying Challenger 300 and 350 jets out of Miami. Pilots and flight attendants interested in flying with us can reach the team through the contact page.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers (53-2011), Commercial pilots (53-2012), Flight attendants (53-2031), including the nonscheduled air transportation (NAICS 481200) industry estimates.
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Airline and commercial pilots, Flight attendants.
• Job posts on employers' career sites, checked October 5, 2026 (linked in the table), and Flexjet pilot careers.
• Federal regulations: 14 CFR 61.159, 121.436, 135.107, 135.243, 135.245.