Qantas pilot salary 2025: How it compares to the national average and what you take home

Qantas pilot salary 2025: enterprise agreement sets the rate

Qantas pilot salaries are not set by a modern award but by enterprise agreements negotiated with the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA). The most recent agreement for short-haul operations, the Qantas Airways Limited Pilots (Short Haul) Enterprise Agreement 2024 (EBA9), was approved by the Fair Work Commission on 2 May 2025. The decision provides detailed salary figures.

For a First Officer in their first year on B737 or A320 aircraft, the annual salary is $168,283.97. This is the base rate and includes allowances such as the turbo-jet aircraft allowance of $13,219.97 per year. First Officer Trainees (FOT) are paid $6,218.35 per 28-day bid period until they are cleared to line as a First Officer, which annualises to roughly $80,800. The Commission found that FOT are covered by the Miscellaneous Award, but their pay under the agreement far exceeds that award's rates.

How Qantas pilot salaries compare to the national full-time average

The national benchmark is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026: full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). A Qantas First Officer on $168,284 earns 55% more than that average. To put it in perspective:

The full-time median salary is about $90,532 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025).
The all-employees median is about $74,100.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week.

Even the award minimums for pilots are lower. Under the Pilots Award 2020, a First Officer on a narrow-body aircraft (e.g., Boeing 717) would earn at least $111,060 per year, plus allowances. Qantas EBA9 rates are well above those award floors.

A resident take-home sketch

Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above that, plus 2% Medicare levy), a Qantas First Officer on $168,284 would have:

Income tax: approximately $43,335
Medicare levy: approximately $3,366
Total deductions: $46,701
Take-home pay: about $121,583 per year ($2,338 per week)

This is before any salary-sacrifice arrangements or superannuation contributions (the super guarantee is 11.5% from 1 July 2025). The take-home figure is well above the national full-time average weekly total earnings of $2,160 (ABS, May 2026).

What about other Qantas pilot roles?

The EBA9 covers short-haul pilots. For long-haul or wide-body aircraft, salaries are set under separate agreements. The Pilots Award lists minimums for larger aircraft: for example, a First Officer on a wide-body single-deck aircraft earns at least $127,404 per year, plus allowances. Qantas enterprise agreements typically pay significantly more than award rates.

How the figures are set

Pilot salaries are determined through enterprise bargaining between Qantas and the AIPA, with approval from the Fair Work Commission. The Commission must ensure employees are better off overall under the agreement compared to the relevant award. For FOT, the Commission found they are covered by the Miscellaneous Award, but the agreement's rates far exceed that award. For other pilots, the Pilots Award provides a safety net. How the figures are set explains the process in more detail.

State comparisons

If you're considering where Qantas pilots are based, state full-time averages vary. The highest is the Australian Capital Territory at $119,090, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. New South Wales is $109,658, Victoria $106,137, Queensland $106,064, South Australia $102,450, Tasmania $96,008, and the Northern Territory $103,173. A Qantas pilot's salary of $168,284 exceeds all state averages. States and territories has the full breakdown.

Key takeaway

A Qantas pilot salary in 2025 is well above the national average, reflecting the specialised skills and responsibilities of the role. The enterprise agreement provides clear rates, and after tax the take-home pay is comfortably above what most full-time workers earn. For a personalised comparison, you can place a salary on the line to see how it stacks up against the national average, medians, and minimum wage.

Questions

What is the Qantas pilot salary for 2025?

Under the Qantas Airways Limited Pilots (Short Haul) Enterprise Agreement 2024 (EBA9), approved by the Fair Work Commission in May 2025, a First Officer in their first year earns $168,283.97 per year. This applies to pilots on B737 and A320 aircraft. First Officer Trainees (FOT) are paid $6,218.35 per 28-day bid period until cleared to line, which equates to roughly $80,800 per year. The award minimums for pilots are lower; for example, a First Officer on a narrow-body aircraft under the Pilots Award would earn at least $111,060 per year, plus allowances.

How does a Qantas pilot salary compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings was $2,083.70 in May 2026, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). A Qantas First Officer on $168,284 earns about 55% more than that average. The full-time median salary is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). Qantas pilot salaries are set by enterprise agreement and far exceed both the national minimum wage ($52,255 per year from 1 July 2026) and typical award rates.

What is the estimated take-home pay for a Qantas pilot on $168,284?

Using 2026–27 tax rates (nil up to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, plus 2% Medicare levy), a Qantas First Officer earning $168,284 would pay roughly $43,335 in income tax and $3,366 in Medicare levy, leaving about $121,583 per year. That works out to around $2,338 per week, compared to the national full-time average weekly total earnings of $2,160 (ABS, May 2026). This is before any salary-sacrifice arrangements or deductions for superannuation.