Pilot salary: This is what Lufthansa pilots earn in 2026

Frankfurt. Tensions continue to simmer between Lufthansa pilots and their employer. The pilots' union, Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), has now involved the Cologne District Court at the end of June. The company's management had terminated an agreement under which pilots were released for work on VC committees and received credited hours.

The pilots' union speaks of one of the "sharpest attacks" and wants to have the matter settled in court. The management reacted with the termination to a wave of strikes. Several days of industrial action in the first quarter and in April caused costs of around €200 million, according to Lufthansa. The dispute is over contributions to old-age provision.

The VC is demanding more, while the management counters with Lufthansa's weak economic condition as a premium brand. For months, flight operations have been being restructured in order to sustainably move out of the loss zone. "Just because the VC is demanding more employer benefits, we can't further impair the future viability of the entire company," said Human Resources Board Member Michael Niggemann in an interview published internally by the company.

Today, old-age provision is already at the absolute top level, also in comparison with European competitors. This applies overall to the remuneration of around 4,500 pilots at Lufthansa Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo. This article explains what pilot training costs and how much Lufthansa and Eurowings pay aircraft captains in detail in 2026.