Business aviation salaries continue to tick up, in some cases by close to 7%, as the sector grows and competition for employees remains strong, according to NBAA. Releasing its 2026 Compensation Survey, the association reported that people who manage, fly, repair, and schedule business aircraft are among those seeing increases.
Administered and audited by BDO USA, the survey is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of salaries, compensation packages, key benefits, aviation department makeup, and other factors to help flight departments evaluate their staffing and policies.
Some of the information in the survey, which is in its 40th year, involves details on cash compensation, including base salary, overtime, and annual incentives; merit increases; long-term incentives, along with eligibility requirements; and recorded flight and duty hours, as well as weekend/remain-overnight days.
Available for free to participants and $1,000 for others, the survey drew responses from 352 NBAA members that provided information on 4,090 flight department employees.
“The results of the 2026 survey show us the business aviation industry keeps growing, which helps us attract and keep top talent,” said Jo Damato, senior v-p of events and professional engagement at NBAA. “As flight departments compete for skilled professionals, NBAA is committed to providing reliable, audited data on salaries and benefits to help our members make informed decisions.”
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