Cargo vs. Airline Pilots

The main distinction between cargo and airline pilots lies in how cargo pilots transport mail, packages and other types of cargo while airline pilots usually transport passengers with their luggage onboard. You'll find that while airline and cargo pilot requirements and career prospects seem very similar, a cargo pilot salary tends to run lower than that of an airline pilot. These types of pilots also have different work environments.

Cargo vs. Airline Pilot Job Description

Both cargo and airline pilot jobs have the same focus on safely flying the plane and all onboard from destination to destination. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this means knowing how to check the aircraft before taking off, handling emergencies properly in the air, maintaining the plane, using proper navigational techniques and tools and effectively multitasking along routes. These pilots also have to plan their routes, often starting the process before even getting into the plane.

Airline and cargo pilots must make sure that the people or cargo get onto the plane safely and remain safe through arrival. They both also have to work along with air traffic control and onboard flight personnel and communicate their plans and get instructions during their flights. They also have to keep record of their flights and the condition of the plane.

However, airline pilots have additional tasks like making announcements to passengers and controlling the cabin temperature for people's comfort that cargo pilots don't have to worry about. This leads to fewer worries for cargo pilots about turbulence and passenger comfort and an increased focus on handling and securing cargo properly.

Cargo vs. Airline Pilot Education Requirements

According to the BLS, any pilot who gets paid to fly has to follow similar steps to get licensed. This means starting as a student pilot at a flight school where you'll take ground courses, learn using simulators and real planes and passing Federal Aviation Administration exams to become a private pilot. Afterwards, aspiring pilots get their instrument rating and continue flight training and practice to qualify for the exams leading to a commercial pilot license. Both types of pilots will need to get their multi-engine ratings and airline transport pilot certificate too.

After qualifying for commercial pilot work, cargo and airline pilots may work as flight instructors or fly for airports offering unscheduled flights before they have enough hours and experience to qualify for higher level work. Further, they often have earned a bachelor's degree somewhere along the way as airlines usually require one. However, the degree doesn't have to be related to aviation. Pilots also need to qualify for a medical certificate and pass all background checks.

Airline and cargo pilot requirements will vary by employer in terms of flight hours, aircraft experience and in-house training. For example, Delta incorporates classroom training, testing, simulations and hands-on training into its airline pilot programs and requires continuing testing and education once hired. FedEx will thoroughly evaluate a cargo pilot's flight and instruction hours along with their flight operations to consider them for the role.

Cargo vs. Airline Pilot Industry

Cargo pilots tend to work for airports associated with major carriers like FedEx and UPS along with smaller air cargo airlines and transport companies. Airline pilots may work for national airlines like Southwest Airlines or Delta or smaller regional carriers like Republic Airways or Horizon Air. The BLS mentions that pilots in general can face fatigue during long flights and hazardous weather conditions. Other occupational risks include potential hearing loss and mental stress.

Working hours for airline and cargo pilots vary due to fluctuations in flight schedules, and they can work domestically or international. Both types of pilots can work long hours with time away from home, though the FAA does set restrictions on maximum working hours. BAA Training mentions that cargo pilots usually have night shifts and may get more time off than airline pilots. However, airline pilots tend to get more perks like discounted flights for family members.

Cargo vs. Airline Pilot Salary

The median airline pilot salary in May 2019 was $99,090 per the BLS. The lowest-paid airline pilots had wages below $74,100 a year, while the top 10th percentile got over $208,000 a year. Most of them averaged $179,080 a year working for airlines providing scheduled air transportation. Less common industries like the federal government, air transportation support activities and nonscheduled air transportation offered lower respective average wages of $106,360, $112,530 and $132,440.

Major areas for airline pilot jobs included California, Alaska, New York, Florida and Washington. Michigan and Nevada offered the highest average wages of $238,270 and $234,750, respectively. Airline pilots in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Georgia made some of the lowest wages.

Looking at the self-reported salaries on PayScale can give you an idea of how a cargo pilot salary may differ from that of a typical passenger airline pilot. According to the responses from 1,108 professionals, the median cargo pilot salary in August 2020 was $95,785. Cargo pilots in the bottom 10th percentile made below $53,000 a year, compared to over $167,000 for those in the top 10th percentile. Like for passenger airline pilots, you can expect your cargo pilot salary to depend on factors like ranking, location and experience.

Years of Experience

Wages for airline pilots will depend on their contracts along with the length of time they've worked for the airline. Over time, they can see promotions to first officer and captain positions. Using the data that 508 airline pilots provided as of August 2020, PayScale showed that these pilots earned the following average wages based on their experience level:

  • A year of less: $59,470
  • One to four years: $66,129
  • Five to nine years: $98,955
  • 10 to 19 years: $123,120
  • 20 years and beyond: $177,121

Like airline pilots, cargo pilots benefit from opportunities to get promoted to first officer or captain positions and see salary increases with seniority and flight experience. While PayScale's salary data for cargo pilots didn't break down the figures by experience level, you can experience a similar trend to that of an airline pilot. This implies the site's lower end salary of $53,000 would be typical for entry-level cargo pilot jobs, while the $167,000 and higher wages would likely be for those with 20 years or more of experience.

Cargo vs. Airline Pilot Job Growth Trend

Both airline and cargo pilots can expect good job prospects for much of the decade. The BLS lists a 5 percent job growth rate for commercial and airline pilots and a 7 percent rate for air transportation workers overall through 2028. These figures come close to the bureau's 5 percent rate expected across occupations in general. This comes out to around 7,000 commercial and airline pilot jobs during the period, and retirements will contribute to this.

However, consider that certain factors can impact the availability of pilot jobs in your location. For example, a decreased demand for travel impacts airline pilot job openings as airports may cut down on flights. On the other hand, increased purchases and mail can drive demand for cargo pilots since companies will need their packages to promptly reach customers. In fact, Pilot Job Central mentions that cargo pilot jobs tend to have more stability due to less fluctuation in demand.

Keep in mind larger airports and airlines will have a lot more competition for pilot jobs. So, it can be easier starting out as an airline or cargo pilot through a smaller carrier.