Business aviation pay growth hits 8% as 2027 budgets take shape

AirComp Calculator says total compensation for business aviation professionals rose 8% in 2026, outpacing 2025’s 6% gain and the broader U.S. labor market. Founder Dr. Chris Broyhill warns flight departments that budget plans built on 3% to 4% raises could leave them below market as airlines keep recruiting.

Why it matters: - Business aviation pay is rising faster than many flight departments may expect, which raises the cost of retention heading into 2027 budget season. - AirComp Calculator’s analysis puts 2026 compensation growth at 8%, more than double the 3.4% national pace in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index. - Broyhill said departments paying at the 50th percentile are “accepting risk” if they do not pair compensation with schedule predictability or culture.

What happened: - AirComp Calculator said total compensation for business aviation professionals rose 8% in 2026, up from 6% in 2025. - Dr. Chris Broyhill, AirComp Calculator’s founder, flagged the gap as flight departments begin shaping 2027 budgets. - Broyhill said a competing offer usually has to top current pay by more than 10% to attract a business aviation employee away. - He said even a 10% raise may not be enough if the move requires relocating a family and starting over at a new flight department.

The details: - Broyhill expects airlines to keep hiring in 2027. - About 4,300 airline pilots a year will reach the FAA’s mandatory retirement age of 65 through 2042, The Wall Street Journal reported. - In an NBAA study led by Broyhill of more than 1,100 business aviation pilots, a predictable schedule was the top reason pilots left for the airlines. - Broyhill said even top-of-market pay may not stop some pilots from moving to mainline carriers. - He also hosts “The Flight Department Show,” a podcast focused on retention, compensation and flight department leadership.

The details: - Compensation growth was strongest among crews flying premium long-range aircraft, Broyhill said. - He said the aircraft type rating can be the same, but the work is not, and pay reflects the job. - In one compensation survey covering Gulfstream G700 captains at 10% of organizations operating long-range aircraft, average base salary was about $343,000. - The 90th percentile for Gulfstream G700 captains reached $435,000 in base pay. - With bonuses, average total cash compensation was about $395,000. - Total cash compensation at the 90th percentile reached about $495,000. - Broyhill said a pilot based in the Northeast typically earns 10% to 15% above the national average. - Some West Coast jobs run close to 30% above the national average. - Within California, a pilot in Redding might see a regional premium near 5%, while the San Francisco Bay Area can run 30% or more above national levels.

Between the lines: - The market is being pulled up by two forces at once: stronger demand for experienced pilots and uneven labor-market pressure by region and aircraft class. - The retention problem is not just about salary. Broyhill’s comments point to schedule quality and workplace culture as part of the compensation equation. - Survey participation matters because thinner data can weaken compensation benchmarks, especially for smaller flight departments.

What's next: - Broyhill will attend NBAA’s Small Operator Symposium and Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas this week. - At the symposium, he will present “The Accidental Director” from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. in Room W231. - On Thursday, Oct. 22, he will co-present with Sheryl Barden, CEO of Aviation Personnel International, from 11 a.m. to noon in Room W219. - Their session, “Beyond the Survey: Decoding Job Titles, Roles and Compensation Trends in Aviation,” will address job-title mismatches and turnover costs. - Attendees will receive a one-page guide to writing job descriptions that support compensation decisions. - Broyhill will also meet with flight department leaders on site to run compensation reports, with reports that include his personal analysis starting at $420. - AirComp Navigator reports start at $250, and AirComp Standard reports start at $350. - AirComp Calculator says reports are available for download anytime at aircompcalculator.com. - The company also points to its NBAA-BACE booking page for on-site reviews.

The bottom line: - Business aviation compensation is still moving up fast, and flight departments that budget too conservatively may lose people to better-paying operators or airlines.