Compensation for U.S. business aviation professionals increased an estimated 8% in 2026, up from 6% last year, according to a new analysis released Monday by AirComp Calculator. The increase was more than twice the 3.4% rise in compensation across the U.S. civilian workforce during the 12 months ending in June, according to federal data.
Pay Varies by Aircraft and Region
AirComp Calculator bases its analysis on three industry compensation surveys, including the NBAA survey, and adjusts the figures for aircraft type, position and geographic location. In one survey, Gulfstream G700 captains averaged approximately $395,000 in total annual cash compensation, while the 90th percentile reached about $495,000. The figures came from a limited sample of long-range aircraft operators. The company also found that salaries in the Northeast typically run 10% to 15% above the national average, while some West Coast markets command premiums approaching 30%.
“If you’re paying at the 50th percentile of what the business aviation market is paying, you’re accepting risk,” AirComp Calculator founder Chris Broyhill said in Monday’s announcement.
Broyhill also identified predictable schedules and workplace culture as important factors in retaining employees, particularly as airlines continue recruiting experienced pilots.
“Compensation is clearly top of mind, but a raise isn’t always the answer,” Aviation Personnel International CEO Sheryl Barden said.
Retention Remains a Concern
Separately, a new survey by Aviation Personnel International found that 45% of responding Part 91 flight department leaders identified compensation and benefits among their biggest workforce concerns. Recruiting qualified personnel and employee scheduling tied for second at 39% each. The survey received 75 responses from a nonrandom sample of flight department leaders. An earlier NBAA study also identified pilots as the positions most affected by business aviation staffing shortages.
The firm’s survey also found that 74% of respondents considered compensation and benefits important to employee retention, followed by schedule predictability and time off at 54%. Barden and Broyhill are scheduled to discuss compensation trends and workforce retention Thursday at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas.
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