American · Pay
The number American publishes, not the number on TikTok
Official FAQ for 2027 hires: $37.91 per flight hour, 75-hour reserve guarantee, about $34,119 on that guarantee before boarding pay, per diem, and premiums.
Year-one month sketch
Uses $37.91 / flight hour and domestic per diem. Not a paystub.
- Flight pay
- $2843
- Boarding pay
- $550
- Per diem
- $354
- Sketch total
- $3747
Scale (2026 step)
Hourly rates from the current APFA scale at the 2026 step. Confirm against the live contract if you are negotiating with yourself.
| Year | Per flight hour |
|---|---|
| 1st | $37.91 |
| 2nd | $40.18 |
| 3rd | $42.76 |
| 4th | $45.54 |
| 5th | $50.15 |
| 6th | $56.80 |
| 7th | $62.67 |
| 8th | $64.67 |
| 9th | $67.24 |
| 10th | $71.48 |
| 11th | $76.20 |
| 12th | $81.50 |
| 13th+ | $87.04 |
- Boarding pay: half the hourly rate for each flight boarded.
- Per diem: $2.95 domestic / $3.50 international, report to release.
- Paid semi-monthly. Mid-month check includes 37.5 guarantee hours plus boarding and per diem.
- Initial uniform is deducted from pay, not gifted.