← All carriers side by side · independent reference · public documents only

Aircraft mechanic 401(k) and retirement, by airline

What each contract actually puts toward retirement — match structures, caps and direct contributions, transcribed and cited. No aggregator page on this question cites a single contract; every figure here does.

401(k) company match and retirement contributions for US airline mechanics, carrier by carrier, cited to the page of the ratified union contract.
CarrierVerified terms
American Airlines“IAM National Pension Fund (Article 30.B)”
match rate: 100%
Both designs: employer matches 100% of employee before-tax/Roth contributions, up to the cap below (30.C.2(i)-(ii)).
source
aa-twu-iam-mr-consolidated-2025 · p.182 · Article 30.C.2 — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified

match cap: 4%
Maximum employer matching contribution, both IAM- and TWU-designated employees: 4.0% of eligible compensation. TWU-designated employees ADDITIONALLY receive a 5% non-elective employer contribution (30.C.2(ii)). Eligibility: 1 year of service; vesting: 100% at 2 years (30.C.3-4).
source
aa-twu-iam-mr-consolidated-2025 · p.182 · Article 30.C.2 — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified

direct contribution: $3.50/hr
Employer contribution per compensated hour at the extension Effective Date; steps to $3.60 (+12 months) and $3.70 (+24 months).
source
aa-twu-iam-mr-extension · p.6 · Article 30.B — IAM National Pension Fund
verified 2026-08-08dual-read verified
Two designs under one plan (Article 30.C.2, p.182-183): IAM-designated — 100% match up to 4% of eligible compensation, in addition to the IAM NPF hourly contribution above; TWU-designated — 5% non-elective employer contribution PLUS 100% match up to 4%. One-year service requirement for employer contributions; 100% vesting at two years of vesting service.
United Airlines“401(k) (Article 16 §K)”
match rate: 50%
at 10+ years of service; 25% at 5 to under 10 years; each tier alternatively pays dollar-for-dollar up to $300, whichever is greater
source
ua-ibt-tech-extension-2023 · p.174 · Article 16 §K — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-10dual-read verified

direct contribution: 1% of earnings
additional, for employees with 30+ years of Credited Service as CARP participants
source
ua-ibt-tech-extension-2023 · p.174 · Article 16 §K — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-10dual-read verified
Service-tiered: each tier's employer match is the GREATER of dollar-for-dollar up to $300 or the tier's percentage of the employee's contribution — 25% at 5 to <10 years of service, 50% at 10 to <15, 50% at 15+. Employees with 30+ years of Credited Service as CARP participants receive an additional 1% direct employer contribution. The $300 figure is the dollar-for-dollar ceiling, not an annual cap on the match.
Southwest Airlines“401(k) (Article 16 ¶2)”
match cap: 9.3% of earnings
maximum employer matching contribution as a percent of compensation (¶2(c))
source
wn-amfa-mech-cba · p.71 · Article 16 — Profit Sharing, ¶2 (401(k) provisions)
verified 2026-08-09dual-read verified
Match vests 20% per year of service, fully vested at 5 years (¶2(a)). The match percentage structure below the cap, and Southwest's separate company-wide ProfitSharing Plan contribution, are not yet corroborated and are not published.
Alaska Airlines“401(k) — COPS/MRP/Dispatch plan (Paragraphs H, J)”
match rate: 50%
50% Company match on the first 6% of pre-tax contributions (in Alaska Air Group stock, effective 1/1/2007), PLUS an additional 50% cash match on the next 5% of deferrals effective as of DOR (Paragraph J).
source
as-amfa-tech-cba · p.82 · Retirement article, Paragraphs H and J — COPS/MRP/Dispatch 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified

match cap: 5.5%
Combined maximum total Company match as a percent of eligible compensation. Receiving the full match requires an 11% employee deferral (6% + 5% tiers).
source
as-amfa-tech-cba · p.82 · Retirement article, Paragraphs H and J — COPS/MRP/Dispatch 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified
Allegiant Air“401(k) (Article 17)”
match cap: 4%
Match structure: 100% of the first 3% of employee contributions plus 50% of the next 2% — maximum company match 4% of pay at a 5% employee contribution (Article 17.C.2).
source
aay-ibt-mx-cba · p.73 · Article 17.C.2 — 401(k) company match
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified
Hawaiian Airlinesnot yet verified
PSA Airlinesnot yet verified
Envoy Air“401(k) Company Match (Letter B)”
match cap: 7%
Maximum resulting company contribution at 20+ complete years of service (100% match on a 7% employee contribution). Seniority tiers: years 1-4 = 50% match on 6% (max 3%); 5-9 = 70.8% (max 4.25%); 10-14 = 90% (max 5.4%); 15-19 = 100% (max 6%); 20+ = 100% on 7%.
source
envoy-twu-mr-cba · p.117 · Letter B: 401(k) Company Match of Eligible Earnings
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified
Horizon Air“401(k) (Article 23.B)”
match rate: 100%
Dollar-for-dollar company match on employee pre-tax contributions.
source
horizon-amfa-tech-cba · p.111 · Article 23.B — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified

match cap: 8%
Maximum employee contribution matched: 8% of eligible compensation. PLUS a non-elective company contribution by seniority: 2% at 5-9 years, 4% at 10+ years (23.B.3).
source
horizon-amfa-tech-cba · p.111 · Article 23.B — 401(k)
verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified

§ opens the citation: document, page, section, verification method and date. Not yet verified means nobody has confirmed it here yet — it is never assumed zero.

Go deeper

The full comparison and chart · estimate your own rate · coverage of every US carrier