United Airlines and its pilots union agreed Saturday to a preliminary deal that would increase pilot salaries by up to 40% over the next four years. The agreement will end months of picketing at airports by United pilots seeking higher wages in the post-pandemic travel boom.
The new deal would increase pilot cumulative pay from 34.5% to 40.2% over the course of the contract, per the agreement's guidelines, and will be based on the types of aircraft the pilot flies. The deal now awaits ratification by United's 16,000 pilots — if this occurs, pilots will get an immediate pay raise from 13.8% to 18.7%.
The deal will also provide a number of other benefits to pilots, according to the agreement. This includes "quality of work-life, compensation, job security, work rules, retirement, benefits, and more."
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The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing the United pilots, reported that the deal will create approximately $10 billion in total value. "The tireless dedication demonstrated by United pilots over the past several years ensured our solidarity which was instrumental in achieving this historic agreement," Capt. Garth Thompson, chair of the ALPA's United wing, said in a statement.
Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, wrote on LinkedIn that he was "pleased to have reached an agreement with ALPA. The four-year agreement, once ratified, will deliver a meaningful pay raise and quality of life improvements for our pilots."
The deal is the latest in a string of post-pandemic pay hikes for U.S. airline pilots. This past March, Delta Airlines ratified a 34% salary increase for its pilots over three years. This was followed by American Airlines reaching a deal for 40% raises over four years, though that agreement has yet to be ratified by American's pilots.
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