American Airlines pilots have approved a recent contract that may raise their pay about 41% over 4 years, their union said Monday.
The Allied Pilots Association said that 73% of pilots who took part voted in favor of the four-year contract, which it valued at $9.6 billion.
“This contract is a giant first step toward restoring the wages, advantages, and work rules that were lost in the course of the past twenty years while our career was under continuous assault,” said union President Ed Sicher.
He said pilots deserved to be compensated in step with the “tremendous amount of responsibility” they take with every flight.
American has about 15,000 pilots.
Airline unions are having fun with leverage to get big pay raises because a boom in travel is lifting airline revenue.
Texas-based American earned $1.3 billion within the second quarter alone, helped by strong ticket sales, record revenue, and a drop in the value of jet fuel.
Pilot unions have been in particularly strong position due to a shortage that’s being felt most keenly at smaller carriers. Pilots at American rejected a proposal last November.
They reached one other agreement in late July, which was renegotiated again to match a greater deal for pilots at United Airlines. Pilots at Delta Air Lines also won big pay raises this yr.
Pilots at Southwest Airlines are still in negotiations.
The Allied Pilots Association said its recent contract with American includes $1.1 billion in one-time payments and ratification bonuses and immediate pay raises averaging 21%.
Annual raises, plus increased company contributions to retirement plans will raise the worth of total compensation by 46% over 4 years, in keeping with the union.
It also includes more vacation advantages and changes designed to offer pilots more predictable schedules, the union said.
Airline industry labor contracts don’t expire — that’s a part of a federal law designed to make strikes nearly not possible.
Relatively, they turn out to be open for change or “amendable” at their conclusion. Bargaining on the subsequent contract for American’s pilots could begin as soon as November 2026.