- Salary statistics
- Flight captain salary
Flight captain salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
60 900 - 99 000 SEK / month
Transport
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Salary progression Flight captain
What does a flight captain do? – Tasks and work environment
A flight captain is responsible for leading and conducting flights in a safe, efficient, and professional manner. The main task is to operate the aircraft from takeoff to landing, but the role also includes thorough pre-flight preparations, weather assessments, checks of the aircraft's technical status, and coordination with crew and air traffic control. The work environment is high-tech and often international, with long shifts and irregular working hours. The flight captain bears ultimate responsibility for the safety of passengers and crew, as well as ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations.
Salary development over time
Over the past three years, salaries for flight captains have decreased. In 2022, the average salary was 74,400 SEK per month, which declined to 69 800 SEK in 2023 and further to 76 200 SEK in 2024. This represents a decrease of approximately 6.2% over the period. This trend can partly be explained by the industry's vulnerability to global economic fluctuations and changes in demand for air travel. Factors such as increased competition, changing employment forms, and efficiency improvements within airlines have also affected salary development. Despite the recent decline, salaries remain high compared to many other professions.
Flight captain salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 76 200 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 53,200 SEK/month (female, public sector, post-secondary education shorter than 3 years)
- Highest salary: 87,500 SEK/month (male, public sector, high school education up to 2 years)
- Hourly wage: 420 SEK/hour
- Gender differences: Men earn an average of 76 700 SEK/month, data for women is incomplete but the highest known salary for women is 74,700 SEK/month
- Regional differences: Specific regional levels are not available, but variations may occur depending on employer and traffic volume
Education and qualifications
To work as a flight captain, extensive training with both theoretical and practical components is required. The pathway typically begins with pilot training, followed by several years of experience as a first officer before promotion to captain. Certifications and ongoing retraining are mandatory to maintain authorization and safety standards.
- Formal education: Traffic pilot training (2–3 years, often at YH level or equivalent private education)
- Certifications: CPL (Commercial Pilot License) and ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License)
- Practical experience: Several hundred flying hours as a first officer before promotion to captain
- Prerequisites: Approved high school grades, medical tests, often requirements for good vision and health
- Continuing education: Regular simulator training and medical check-ups
Many flight captains have opportunities to work in international environments and visit different countries as a natural part of their job, providing a unique insight into other cultures and work routines. At the same time, high demands are placed on flexibility, as irregular hours and night flights are common. This makes the profession both varied and challenging at the same time.
Common benefits and allowances
Flight captains often have access to benefits such as occupational pension, wellness allowance, advantageous insurance, and opportunities for staff travel at reduced prices. Several employers also offer extra compensation for unsocial hours, per diems for international trips, and sometimes bonuses linked to performance or company results.
Competition and challenges
The profession of flight captain is attractive, and competition for the best positions can be significant, especially at larger airlines. The costs of training and the high formal requirements make the entry path long, reducing the number of applicants. At the same time, the labor market is heavily influenced by external factors such as economic cycles, profitability of the industry, and changes in travel behavior. Technological advances and automation may, in the future, alter the role's content, while global events like pandemics can quickly impact demand for flights and thus job security.
Tips for aspiring flight captains
To succeed as a flight captain, it is good to combine technical interest with high stress tolerance and strong communication skills. Precision is crucial, as safety always comes first, and being solution-oriented helps in unexpected situations in the air. Developing leadership skills is also important, as the captain is responsible for both crew and passengers. Good physical and mental health facilitates handling demanding schedules and irregular hours. Flexibility and the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions are valuable in the profession. Continuously updating oneself on new regulations and technology is also a key success factor.
Key facts about Flight Captain
- Educational level: Traffic pilot training (2–3 years) and certifications
- Work environment: High-tech, international, and often mobile
- Work arrangement: Irregular hours, often shifts and night work
- Demand: 412 available jobs within the pilot profession (May 2024)
- Special skills: Aviation technology, navigation, leadership, and safety procedures
Career paths and future prospects
After a few years as a flight captain, opportunities may exist to advance to instructor or managerial roles within the airline, such as chief pilot or safety officer. Roles within aircraft training and simulator instruction are also common career steps. The forecasts from the Employment Service do not provide a clear assessment for the profession due to limited data. However, there are currently 412 registered job openings in the pilot field. The industry is affected by global trends and economic cycles, and the demand can vary significantly over time. Digitalization and technological development may also bring changes to the profession's content and skill requirements.
Frequently asked questions about Flight Captain
- What is the average salary of a Flight Captain?
- The average salary for a flight captain is 76 200 SEK per month. - How does one become a flight captain?
- First, traffic pilot training and certification are required, followed by several years of experience as a first officer before promotion to captain is possible. - Are there gender differences in pilot salaries?
- Men earn an average of 76 700 SEK/month. Data for women is incomplete, but the highest known salary for women is 74,700 SEK/month. - What is the job market like for flight captains?
- Projections are uncertain, but there are 412 available jobs within the pilot profession according to the latest data. - What personal qualities are important for a flight captain?
- Stress tolerance, accuracy, communication skills, and leadership are particularly important qualities. - What education is required to become a flight captain?
- Traffic pilot training (2–3 years) and certifications such as CPL and ATPL are mandatory. - What is the hourly wage for a flight captain?
- A flight captain has an average hourly wage of 420 SEK.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 53500 kr | 57900 kr | |
| 35-44 | 60700 kr | 63800 kr | |
| 45-54 | 83000 kr | 85700 kr | |
| 55-64 | 97000 kr | 99100 kr | |
| Snitt | 73100 kr | 76200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 62800 kr | 68000 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 75600 kr | 81600 kr |
| 45-54 | 93700 kr | 97700 kr | |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 96300 kr | |
| Snitt | 72% | 80100 kr | 84800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 62800 kr | 68000 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 75600 kr | 81600 kr |
| 45-54 | 93700 kr | 97700 kr | |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 96300 kr | |
| Snitt | 72% | 80100 kr | 84800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 48600 kr | 52500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 54100 kr | 55900 kr | |
| 45-54 | 79200 kr | 81600 kr | |
| 55-64 | 98200 kr | 100000 kr | |
| Snitt | 70400 kr | 72800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 48600 kr | 52500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 54100 kr | 55900 kr | |
| 45-54 | 79200 kr | 81600 kr | |
| 55-64 | 98200 kr | 100000 kr | |
| Snitt | 70400 kr | 72800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 53800 kr | 58400 kr | |
| 35-44 | 60700 kr | 63900 kr | |
| 45-54 | 83000 kr | 85800 kr | |
| 55-64 | 96500 kr | 98600 kr | |
| Snitt | 73500 kr | 76700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 63600 kr | 68900 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 76200 kr | 82400 kr |
| 45-54 | 94100 kr | 98100 kr | |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 96300 kr | |
| Snitt | 72% | 81000 kr | 85800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 63600 kr | 68900 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 76200 kr | 82400 kr |
| 45-54 | 94100 kr | 98100 kr | |
| 55-64 | 93200 kr | 96300 kr | |
| Snitt | 72% | 81000 kr | 85800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 48300 kr | 52400 kr | |
| 35-44 | 54000 kr | 55800 kr | |
| 45-54 | 79100 kr | 81500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 97600 kr | 99400 kr | |
| Snitt | 70500 kr | 73000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 48300 kr | 52400 kr | |
| 35-44 | 54000 kr | 55800 kr | |
| 45-54 | 79100 kr | 81500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 97600 kr | 99400 kr | |
| Snitt | 70500 kr | 73000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 54100 kr | 56400 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 66700 kr | 69100 kr |
| Snitt | 72% | 59800 kr | 62000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 82% | 54100 kr | 56400 kr |
| 35-44 | 84% | 66700 kr | 69100 kr |
| Snitt | 72% | 59800 kr | 62000 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Flight captain has the SSYK code 3153, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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Pilot at Svensk Luftambulans – Gällivare, Lycksele, Mora, and Karlstad
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Thu, 18 Jun 2026 - 09:43
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