Red text indicates fields that were changed during the last update on 5 April 2026
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:
2026
Listed
pay rates are:
(yearly, hourly etc)
Trips For Pay (TFP) based hourly or distance with fomula
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
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.
This
webpage is provided to help students
at aviation schools and flight schools
find information on Southwest Airlines
pilot jobs. Whether you are looking
for specific airline pilot jobs or
more general information on aviation
schools, pilot interviews, type rating
requirements, pilot salaries and airlines,
this website can help.
Coverage
of airline pilot opportunities is
provided for many flight schools and
airlines, and you can search by aircraft
type if you have a type rating and
are looking for specific pilot employment
opportunities. Students at aviation
schools and flight schools may wish
to visit the website periodically
to keep up to date with the latest
recruitment news for Southwest Airlines
pilot jobs.