7 of the Most Popular Types of Flight Pilot Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Flight Pilot jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Flight Pilot Jobs

• No Experience Pilot

  Salary range: $100,000 - $155,000

  No Experience Pilot is a typical job search query Most salaries for No Experience Pilot jobs pay between $100,000 (25th percentile) and $155,000 (75th percentile) annually. There are plenty of open positions nationwide for No Experience Pilot job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Helicopter Pilot

  Salary range: $90,000 - $112,000

  As a helicopter pilot, you fly a helicopter aircraft to transport passengers or cargo or gather information on the ground from a bird’s-eye view, like traffic data. Your job duties as a helicopter pilot include conducting pre-flight checks such as ensuring aircraft controls and instruments are working properly and checking weather forecasts for the flight path and then creating a flight plan. Your responsibilities are to communicate with dispatchers and air traffic controllers and to operate the helicopter properly, ensuring a safe flight.

• 800 Hour Pilot

  Salary range: $100,000 - $155,000

  800 Hour Pilot is a typical job search query Most salaries for 800 Hour Pilot jobs pay between $100,000 (25th percentile) and $155,000 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for 800 Hour Pilot job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Private Pilot

  Salary range: $100,000 - $155,000

  As a private pilot, you can use a private pilot license (PPL) to operate a non-commercial aircraft and fly yourself or passengers around. This is essentially the recreational level of flying, and private pilots often support community events through volunteer activities like taking children on short flights to help them experience the joy of flying. Private pilots are not allowed to charge passengers, transport freight for money, or perform any other tasks that could qualify as a job. To get paid for flying an aircraft, you need at least a commercial pilot's license, and many trainees obtain a private pilot license while working toward professional licensure.

• Light Aircraft Pilot

  Salary range: $71,000 - $102,000

  Light Aircraft Pilot is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Light Aircraft Pilot jobs pay between $71,000 (25th percentile) and $102,000 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Light Aircraft Pilot job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Airline Pilot

  Salary range: $71,000 - $102,000

  An airline pilot captains a commercial aircraft that carries passengers and cargo from one location to another. As an airline pilot, your duties include conducting pre-flight instrument checks, taxiing aircraft to and from airport gates and around runways, handling takeoffs and landings, and flying aircraft safely between destinations. To captain a plane, you must be capable and confident in your aviation abilities in any weather conditions and at all times of day and night.

• Pilot

  Salary range: $100,000 - $155,000

  Pilots operate aircraft, flying people and cargo all over the world. Their job duties vary, depending on their industry. They conduct pre-flight checks to ensure the plane is in good order, coordinate with air traffic control, and assess and adjust flight paths as needed. Commercial plots update passengers on commercial flights or transport products on cargo flights. Some may even perform specialized duties, such as crop dusting in the farming industry.