Riyadh Air pays Boeing 787 Captains up to $387,000 USD (SAR 1.45 million) annually. First Officers earn up to $208,000 USD per year. The entire salary is completely tax-free under Saudi Arabian law.
When I visited the Riyadh Air headquarters last October, the recruitment team shared their exact compensation strategy. They want to pull the best aviation talent globally. I sat down with a few newly hired pilots over a local cardamom coffee. They confirmed the package is aggressive and highly profitable for expats.
Under the strict guidelines set by the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, expatriate wages remain entirely tax-free. This specific law makes Middle Eastern aviation highly lucrative for foreign flight crews.
Riyadh Air Pilot Salary Breakdown 2026
Your exact paycheck at Riyadh Air depends on your rank and flight hours. The airline guarantees a minimum of 75 flight hours per month for all active pilots.
Here is the complete breakdown of salaries, requirements and benefits. I gathered this directly from official recruitment data and active pilot contracts.
Comprehensive Pilot Pay and Requirements Table
| Job Title | Annual Tax-Free Salary (USD) | Monthly Basic + Allowances | Minimum Flying Hours Required | Roster Options | Housing Benefit |
| First Officer (Boeing 787) | $147,000 to $208,000 | $15,500+ | 2,000 hours on multi-crew jets | Standard or Commuting | $5,300 monthly or Company provided |
| Direct Entry Captain (787) | $240,000 to $387,000 | $22,000+ | 6,000 hours (2,000 in command) | Standard or Commuting | $5,300 monthly or Company provided |
Pilots also get a performance bonus. You can earn an annual productivity bonus worth up to two months of basic salary. Overtime kicks in after 85 hours. The overtime rate pays $160 per hour for wide-body captains.
Also read – Riyadh Air Adds Daily Riyadh–Cairo Flights & It Will Change the Aviation …
Housing, Transport and Education Benefits
Riyadh Air adds heavy allowances to cover your daily life in Saudi Arabia. You do not just rely on your basic salary.
You receive roughly $5,300 USD per month for housing. If you prefer, you can take company-provided, fully furnished accommodation in expat-friendly zones. An extra $1,300 USD hits your account monthly to cover your commute and transport costs.
If you bring your family, the airline pays 75% of tuition fees for up to three children. These fees apply to approved international schools in Riyadh. Pilots also get one guaranteed business class return ticket home annually. You receive 20 standby round-trip tickets for family and friends.
I spent three weeks exploring the capital last winter using resources from Visit Saudi. Renting a modern two-bedroom apartment in a secure compound like Al Nakhla costs about $3,000 USD monthly. The housing allowance easily covers this rent and leaves room for savings.
How to Apply for Riyadh Air Pilot Jobs
You apply directly through the official Riyadh Air careers portal online. There are absolutely no application fees charged by the airline at any stage. If a third-party agency asks you for a fee, it is a scam.
Here are the exact steps candidates go through right now.
- Online Application: Submit your CV, logbook and medical certificate on their careers website.
- Initial Screening: A recruitment officer reviews your flight hours and background.
- Online Assessment: You take a psychometric and technical knowledge test from home.
- Technical Interview: A panel interview focusing on Boeing 787 systems and decision-making.
- Simulator Evaluation: You fly a profile in a wide-body simulator to test resource management.
- License Conversion: You must convert your current ICAO license to a Saudi license.
You must meet the strict licensing criteria mandated by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia. Make sure you have your logbooks stamped and perfectly organized. I saw a candidate get delayed by weeks because his previous airline forgot to stamp his last three logbook pages.
Commuting vs Standard Roster Options
You have two distinct lifestyle choices when signing your pilot contract. The standard roster gives you about 103 days off per year. This traditional schedule works best for pilots who fully relocate their lives to Riyadh.
The commuting roster gives you 14 days on duty and 14 days completely off. This setup is highly unusual for Gulf carriers. It allows you to live in London, Dubai or Bangkok and commute to Riyadh for your flight blocks.
Taking the commuting roster reportedly lowers your total flight pay and removes the housing allowance. Weigh those financial trade-offs carefully before signing your final contract.
Riyadh Air Requirements for Captains and First Officers
You need serious heavy jet experience to secure a job here. The airline is currently only hiring for its wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet. Airbus A321neos will arrive later.
Direct Entry Captains must have an unrestricted ICAO ATPL and a class one medical certificate. You need a minimum of 6,000 total flying hours on multi-crew jets. At least 2,000 of those hours must be command time on wide-body aircraft.
First Officers need 2,000 hours of total flying time on multi-crew, multi-engine jets. You must also prove English language proficiency at ICAO Level 5 or higher.
Fleet Plans and Fast Career Progression
Your career can progress much faster here than at legacy carriers. Riyadh Air is a brand new airline taking delivery of factory-fresh Boeing 787-9s. Seniority lists are just now being built from scratch.
If you join early as a First Officer, your time to upgrade to Captain could be cut in half. They need experienced pilots to train the next wave of local cadets. The airline plans to fly to 100 destinations by 2030. This means rapid fleet expansion and constant promotion opportunities for new hires.
Tips to Pass the Pilot Assessment
The simulator check is where most applicants fail. Treat the simulator evaluation as a standard line flight, not an aerobatic test. Assessors want to see how you manage crew resources.
When you sit for your technical interview, do not guess answers. If you do not know a specific Boeing 787 system limit, tell them exactly where you would look it up in the flight manual. Honesty scores much higher than a fabricated answer.
Prepare for the cultural shift in Saudi Arabia. The recruiters I spoke with under the Saudi Vision 2030 framework loved candidates who showed genuine interest in the region. Show them you understand the culture and want to be part of the national growth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During Relocation
Do not underestimate the summer heat or the setup costs. When I first arrived in July, the temperature hit 45 degrees Celsius. Your first month will be expensive as you pay compound deposits, buy a car and settle in.
Negotiate your shipping allowance carefully before signing the contract. The airline offers relocation support, but shipping heavy furniture from Europe or America takes months. Sell your heavy items and buy fresh in Riyadh. IKEA and local premium stores have everything you need.
