Southwest Airlines Pilot Pay 2026: Rates by Aircraft and Seat
A first-year Southwest Airlines first officer earns US$125.90 per TFP, about US$126,907 a year at the guarantee of 84 TFP a month. By year five that is US$217.71 per TFP, about US$219,452 a year. A tenth-year captain earns US$337.84 per TFP, about US$340,543 a year. The scale tops out at US$343.14 per TFP for a captain, about US$345,885 a year.
Source SWAPA collective bargaining agreement
Pay scale covers January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2028
Rates below in force since January 1, 2026
Next scheduled increase January 1, 2027
Pay at typical career points
Seniority decides both the seat and the aircraft, so each point is paired with equipment a pilot could realistically hold by then: a first officer on a narrowbody in the early years, a narrowbody captain seat around year 10, and a widebody captain seat around year 25. A scale does not always define a step for every year. Where the year shown has no step of its own, the last step a pilot would have reached is used, and the year actually used is given in the table.
| Career point | Aircraft | Year used | Hourly | Annual at guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1: First Officer | Fleet | 1 | US$125.90 | US$126,907 |
| Year 5: First Officer | Fleet | 5 | US$217.71 | US$219,452 |
| Year 10: Captain | Fleet | 10 | US$337.84 | US$340,543 |
| Year 25: Captain | Fleet | 12 (top of scale) | US$343.14 | US$345,885 |
Top of scale by aircraft
The agreement sets a rate for every aircraft category it covers. That can include types the carrier does not currently operate, so a rate here is the scale for that type rather than proof it is flown.
| Aircraft | Captain | First Officer |
|---|---|---|
| Fleet | US$343.14 | US$240.20 |
Full scale by year of service
Rates in USD per TFP. Year of service is the pilot's year on the seniority list. Where a year is marked no step, the agreement defines no rate for that seat in that year and pay stays at the last step reached.
Fleet
| Year | Captain | First Officer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$314.76 | US$125.90 |
| 2 | US$317.24 | US$174.48 |
| 3 | US$319.73 | US$207.82 |
| 4 | US$322.31 | US$212.72 |
| 5 | US$324.94 | US$217.71 |
| 6 | US$327.54 | US$222.73 |
| 7 | US$330.12 | US$224.48 |
| 8 | US$332.70 | US$229.56 |
| 9 | US$335.34 | US$234.74 |
| 10 | US$337.84 | US$236.49 |
| 11 | US$340.49 | US$238.34 |
| 12 | US$343.14 | US$240.20 |
Scheduled increases
The agreement sets further rates effective January 1, 2027, January 1, 2028. The tables above show the rates in force today, not these future scales.
Monthly guarantee
Southwest Airlines guarantees 84 TFP a month. The guarantee runs from 84 to 89 TFP depending on whether the bid period is 28 or 31 days. Annual figures on this page multiply the rate by that guarantee, which is a floor rather than typical earnings, and exclude per diems, premiums and overtime.
Use the pay calculator to model take-home pay, or compare carriers on the pilot pay index.