Airline pilot salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Officiers et cadres navigants techniques et commerciaux de l'aviation civile”).
- Average net per month
- €9,527
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €11,941
- estimate with 2026 executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- +249%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 6.5 × the net SMIC
- 2026 net monthly minimum wage: €1,478
Source: INSEE, all-employees database 2024 (average net private-sector pay, full-time equivalent) · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
Source: French minimum wage (SMIC) as of 1 June 2026 · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
By sex
| Women | €5,889 |
|---|---|
| Men | €10,081 |
By age
| 30 to 39 | €6,755 |
|---|---|
| 40 to 49 | €9,450 |
| 50 to 59 | €12,512 |
Working as an airline pilot in France
Commercial pilots in France fly under EASA rules. You need an ATPL or an MPL issued by an EASA authority (in France, the DGAC), a type rating for the aircraft and a valid class 1 medical certificate. Training goes through the ENAC public school, airline cadet programmes or approved private flight schools; integrated courses lead to a frozen ATPL, which becomes a full ATPL with experience. Non-EASA licences must be converted. A good level of English is mandatory, and French is expected by most domestic carriers. Search for « pilote de ligne », « officier pilote de ligne », « OPL », « copilote » or « commandant de bord ».
How to read these figures
The salary shown is an average, not a median: a few high salaries pull the average up. It is net pay before income tax, converted to full time.
The gross figure is an estimate: it applies 2026 employee contributions for a private-sector worker to the net salary. It leaves out bonuses, overtime and health insurance.
Salaries are from 2024 while the minimum wage is the 2026 one, so the comparison gives an order of magnitude.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary of an airline pilot?
According to INSEE, an airline pilot employed in the private sector earns on average €9,527 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €11,941 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as an airline pilot?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €5,889 for women and €10,081 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does an airline pilot earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€9,527, INSEE 2024) is 6.5 times the 2026 net monthly minimum wage (€1,478). Early in a career, pay is often closer to the minimum wage than to this average.