Commercial pilots
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
Commercial pilots pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. The role reports a median annual salary of $122,670 in the US and is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Postsecondary nondegree award, and shows low AI exposure (0.36 on a 0-1 scale) — the role's core work resists automation. The most in-demand skills for the role include visual flight rules, geographic areas, airport planning, aircraft flight control systems, pre-flight procedures for IFR flights.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £82,746 a year for Aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3511). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Commercial pilots, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Class 12 with Physics, Maths and English, then ab-initio pilot training at a flying school for the Commercial Pilot Licence[1]
- 2 · Registration DGCA Class 1 medical, then the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) issued by DGCA[1]
- 3 · First role Commercial pilot; airlines select CPL holders, preferably with a type rating[1]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- IGRUA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) — Selection procedure (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Transportation
- Geography
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Law and Government
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start your day at the airport, reviewing the weather, the flight plan and the aircraft's weight and fuel figures to work out takeoff speeds and the best route. You walk around the aircraft checking the engines, controls and instruments, then run through the checklists in the cockpit with your co-pilot. After contacting the control tower for clearance, you take off and climb through the clouds, using the instruments to fly when visibility is poor. During the flight you monitor engine performance, fuel use and the aircraft's systems, and adjust your route to avoid a patch of rough weather. You talk to air traffic control regularly and update passengers on the journey. After landing you complete paperwork, report any faults to the engineers and prepare for the next flight. Long hours, time zones and checklists can be tiring and repetitive. But the view from the cockpit and a smooth landing in tricky conditions never stop feeling special.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
- Co-pilot aircraft or perform captain's duties, as required.
- Consider airport altitudes, outside temperatures, plane weights, and wind speeds and directions to calculate the speed needed to become airborne.
- Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
- Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
- Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Commercial pilots do?
Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft on nonscheduled air carrier routes, or helicopters. Requires Commercial Pilot certificate. Includes charter pilots with similar certification, and air ambulance and air tour pilots. Excludes regional, national, and international airline pilots.
What does a typical day look like in Commercial pilots?
You start your day at the airport, reviewing the weather, the flight plan and the aircraft's weight and fuel figures to work out takeoff speeds and the best route. You walk around the aircraft checking the engines, controls and instruments, then run through the checklists in the cockpit with your co-pilot. After contacting the control tower for clearance, you take off and climb through the clouds, using the instruments to fly when visibility is poor.
How much does Commercial pilots earn?
The median annual salary for Commercial pilots in the US is $122,670.
What is the job outlook for Commercial pilots?
The role is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 55,400 workers.
How do I become commercial pilots?
The typical entry education is a Postsecondary nondegree award. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Commercial pilots need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include visual flight rules, geographic areas, airport planning, aircraft flight control systems, pre-flight procedures for IFR flights, air transport law. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Commercial pilots?
Our AI-durability model gives Commercial pilots a score of 0.36 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at low AI exposure — the role's core work resists current-generation automation. It's a comparatively AI-durable choice within its field.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Commercial pilots has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.