Southwest Airlines pilot jobs Wiki

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Red text indicates fields that were changed during the last update on 20 June 2025
Pilots' Detailed Payscale- please state whether payscale is before or after tax
(pension, per diems and brief payscale are listed further down the page)
Effective from:
2025
Listed pay rates are:
(yearly, hourly etc)
hourly
Currency:
US$
(click here to use the currency converter)
Guaranteed hours:
(if applicable)
78hrs/month
Addtional notes:
   
 
Fleet
B737B737
Rank
CAPTFO
Year
 
12
364
255
11
361
253
10
358
251
9
356
249
8
353
243
7
350
238
6
347
236
5
345
231
4
342
225
3
339
220
2
337
185
1
334
133
Brief Payscale (please state whether before or after tax) (please ignore if the detailed payscale above is up to date)

last update

Capt top $364,000 20/Jun/25
Capt base $334,000
20/Jun/25
FO top $255,000 20/Jun/25
FO base $133,000 20/Jun/25
SO top

SO base
FE top
FE base
Additional Duty Pay / Per Diems for Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs
last update
Capt CONUS $2.90 OCONUS: $3.45 Per diem rates increase 2.5% each January 1.
20/Jun/25
FO CONUS $2.90 OCONUS: $3.45 Per diem rates increase 2.5% each January 1.
20/Jun/25
SO
FE
Pension Details for Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs
last update
401K Matching: No A/B Fund: B fund: 17% through Dec 31, 2025 18% from January 1, 2026 MBCBP: Effective date Percent of Pilot's retirement eligible wages contributed to MCBCP 1/1/2024: 1% 1/1/2026: 2% Other: 12.2% profit sharing  
20/Jun/25
Conditions for Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs
last update
Roster
Leave
Staff travel
Discounted holidays

Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs Situation

last update
Current Situation:  
Not hiring
 
20/Jun/25
Outlook:  
Scheduled pay increases January 1,2025 4% January 1,2026 4% January 1,2027 4% January 1, 2028 3.25%  
 
20/Jun/25
Overall Hiring Situation (+ve/neutral/-ve):
Neutral   20/Jun/25
Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs Entry Requirements (including preferred pilot schools)
last update
Captain  
To become a Captain (CPT) at Southwest, you also need to be at least 23 years old and hold the same FAA certificates and medical requirements as a FO, but you should have around 2,500 total flight hours or 1,500 hours in turbine aircraft, including 1,000 hours as Pilot in Command (PIC). PIC time means being the official aircraft commander. Like FOs, Captains must be authorized to work in the U.S., proficient in English, physically able, and pass drug screenings. Both positions often come through Southwest’s Destination 225° Program, which provides a pathway from zero experience to airline pilot in about four years. 20/Jun/25
   
FO  
To become a First Officer (FO) at Southwest Airlines, you must be at least 23 years old and hold a U.S. FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate with "Airplane Multiengine Land" ratings and an "English Proficient" limitation, along with a First Class Medical Certificate and FCC Radiotelephone Operator Permit. Preferred flight experience includes 500 hours in a fixed-wing turbine aircraft or completion of the Destination 225° program, with active flying in two of the last five years. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S., able to communicate fluently in English, able to lift 40 lbs., and pass FAA drug tests. 20/Jun/25
   
SO  
   
FE
   
Scholorship  
 
Recruitment Process for Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs
last update
Practice aptitude and psychometric tests here. 
Fleet
last update
Current:  
737-700: 385 737-8: 227 737-800: 207 20/Jun/25
 
Orders:  
36x 737-700 in 2006   24/Aug/05
Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs Recruitment Contact
last update
Preferred method of application:  
   
Name:  
 
Job Title:  
 
Address:    
     
Tel:
Fax:
Email: (To find out whether your email application has been read use VisualCV)
     
Website:  30/Dec/04
www.southwest.com  
Pilot vacancies webpage:  30/Dec/04
www.southwest.com/careers/pilots.html  
Online application form link:  
   
Bases For Southwest Airlines Pilot Jobs (including restrictions for recent pilot school graduates)
last update
BWI, DAL, HOU, MCO, MDW, OAK, PHX
(click to look-up airport codes)
24/Aug/05

 

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