Retirement Investment?

[tysonbasu (Prabhat Kumar Basu)]

I am 30 years old. If I start an airline career program at this age, will my earnings be a worthwhile investment for my retirement?

[Adam]

Prabhat,

Senior Capts at Major airlines make $350k+ a year so yes the potential is there. Whether or not you’ll be successful is another story. While it isn’t brain surgery, the fact is flying airplanes takes a certain amount of intelligence and skill which not everyone possesses. Obviously I don’t know you, your background, work ethic etc so no one can say for certain how you’ll do (including you) until you try. There are no guarantees but again yes the potential is there.

Adam

[Chris]

Check out this link:

What Income Do Pilots Really Earn?

When considering a potential career there are many factors to look at. One of the most important factors is of course: earnings potential. Trying to determine the salary of an airline pilot can be confusing, as there are so many different numbers floating around the internet. Pay varies widely by company and experience level and can range anywhere from $28,000 per year to several hundred thousand per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median pay for airline pilots of $114,200, but d…

[Hannah]

Prabhat,
Not only is the potential career earnings enough to pay off the loan and provide a very comfortable life, the retirement plans are quite lucrative too. Pensions plus sizable 401k company contributions. I’ve heard as much as 16% company contribution. That percentage on a 250-300k income for years…. You’d be set.
-Hannah

[Chris]

Hannah brings up a fair point. Most major airlines have company contributions in the 12-16% range, that is without you putting anything in yourself.

Chris