Pilot salary: This is what Lufthansa pilots earn in 2026

The dispute between Lufthansa pilots and their employer continues, with the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) filing a case at the Cologne District Court at the end of June. The company management had terminated an agreement under which pilots had received relief from certain duties and their hours were credited to their accounts.

The pilots' union describes this as one of their "most fierce attacks" and intends to clarify the matter in court. The management responded by terminating the agreement, following a wave of intense strikes. Major disruptions in the first quarter of the year and in April caused costs of around 200 million euros, according to Lufthansa.

The conflict revolves around pension contributions, with the VC demanding more and management countering with the weak economic condition of the premium brand Lufthansa. The flight operation has been undergoing restructuring for months to get out of the loss zone permanently. "Just because the VC demands more employee benefits, we cannot further undermine the future viability of the entire company," said HR Director Michael Niggemann in an internal company interview.

The pension system is already at the top level today, even compared to European competitors. This applies to the overall compensation for about 4,500 pilots at Lufthansa Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo. In this article, you will learn how much it costs to train pilots and how much Lufthansa and Eurowings flight engineers will pay in 2026.