Insane payslip leaks revealing how much pilots actually get paid monthly
Payslips from two of the biggest airlines in America have 'leaked' online, and we're talking jaw-dropping numbers.
Although it's not as much as Ruben Amorim's reported £10m pay off, statistically, for being the worst United manager since the post-Fergie era, it's still a wage many of us can only dream of.
Over the years, a few professionals have come forward to share their average earnings, ranging from an NHS junior doctor to a professional truck driver.
However, the monthly salary is enough to make you rethink your entire career path, given that the earning potential for pilots is so high in the US. While some pilots can earn hourly wages of up to $360, higher-tier pilots can earn much more than that.
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A payslip purportedly belonging to an American Airlines pilot was shared in December, along with another from Southwest Airlines, and the internet lost its mind.
The screenshot of the paystub was for a Miami-based American Airlines Boeing 737 captain and showed that he took home upwards of $458,000 a year, or $38,166 a month.
No wonder they walk through airports like they own the place.
Captains of bigger aircrafts can earn up to $450 per hour, and considering that the average pilot flies around 900 hours per year, 75 hours per month, that's a lot of zeros.
Aviation enthusiast Corbin Williams also shared a payslip allegedly belonging to a Southwest Airlines pilot.
Someone just leaked an American Airlines Pilot’s salary
— Rios (@riostoriches) December 23, 2025
The details:
$360 per hour
$35,000 bi weekly
$70,000 per month
Wow… pic.twitter.com/Nvg47FOqdj
Williams, who posted the screenshot on 23 December, showed earnings for the fortnight ending 15 December totalling $16,762.
After taxes, that's said to be around $10,957 in net pay - not bad for two weeks' work.
“2.5 years as a pilot at Southwest ~ $300k,” Williams wrote beneath the image. “What if you got paid this much to do something you love to do?!”
2.5 years as a pilot at Southwest-$300k👀
— Corbin Williams (@corbinwilliams) December 23, 2025
What if you got paid this much to do something you love to do?! pic.twitter.com/G98n5fGWa8
Some viewers were understandably shocked, as one person commented: "I'm in the wrong business."
"What!? Holy cow… I should have been a pilot.. except, I hate flying," another quipped.
Most people, however, were in complete agreement given how many lives are at risk.
"I’m actually ok with this. A lot of responsibility. Thanks for sharing!" a third added, while someone else penned: "They deserve every penny tbh, entrusted with hundreds of lives at once."
Meanwhile, a fifth user argued that this amount is 'not enough'.
"If you have a job where the slightest mistake couple lead to hundreds of people dying, pay them whatever the market can bear," they pointed out, which makes sense especially when Premier League managers are getting huge payouts for doing a bad job...
LADbible Group has contacted Southwest Airlines and American Airlines for comment.
Anish Vij