Airline pilots who command annual earnings of $500,000 or more are typically senior widebody captains at the top of the seniority scale flying for major U.S. legacy carriers such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines. Following historic collective bargaining agreements and substantial pilot contract increases across the major airlines, senior captains operating large long-haul aircraft like the Boeing 777, Boeing 787, or Airbus A350 achieve base hourly rates that translate into high annual base salaries. When combining maximum seniority pay with lucrative overtime schedules, holiday premium pay, robust profit-sharing bonuses, and generous company-paid retirement contributions, total annual compensation packages for these elite captains regularly surpass $500,000.