First-step rate and years to top, by carrier
| Carrier | Starting (first step) rate | Years to top, on the printed scale | Column date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | $36.61/hr | 7 years | Oct 17, 2026 | sourceas-amfa-tech-cba · p.100 · Article 26 — Schedule A, Technician wage table (rate review governed by Article 23) verified 2026-08-10dual-read verified |
| Allegiant Air‡ | $36.50/hr | 8 years | Nov 1, 2026 | sourceaay-ibt-mx-cba · p.62 · Table A-1 — Aircraft Technician, Hourly Base Rate (printed p.55) verified 2026-08-10dual-read verified |
| Southwest Airlines | $35.77/hr | 5 years | Aug 16, 2026 | sourcewn-amfa-mech-cba · p.69 · Article 15 — Wage Rates, Base Rates of Pay per Hour (Mechanics) verified 2026-08-08dual-read verified |
| American Airlines | $35.59/hr | 8 years | Jan 1, 2026 | sourceaa-twu-iam-mr-extension · p.2 · Article 16.B — AMT chart verified 2026-08-08dual-read verified |
| Hawaiian Airlines | $30.02/hr | not stated in years | Feb 16, 2026 | sourceha-iam-mech-cba · p.82 · Wage tables — (Group 4) Aircraft Machinist, Aircraft Welder, Aircraft Mechanic, Facilities Repairman, GSE Mechanic (pp.81-83) verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified |
| United Airlines | $29.27/hr | 8 years | Nov 30, 2025 | sourceua-ibt-reset-2025-dispatch · p.2 · Updated 2025 Industry Reset Wage Rate Schedules — Technicians and Inspectors, Basic Hourly Rate (11/30/2025 RESET column); mechanism: LOA #29 'Industry Reset' of the 2023 extension, PDF pp.287-291 (1-based; printed pp.281, 282, 283, 284.5, 284) verified 2026-08-18dual-read verified |
| Horizon Air | $27.13/hr | 6 years | May 6, 2026 | sourcehorizon-amfa-tech-cba · p.120 · Article 25 — Aircraft Technician wage table verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified |
| Envoy Air† | $26.53/hr | top step outside the dated scale | May 13, 2026 | sourceenvoy-twu-mr-cba · p.16 · Article 4: Compensation — Aircraft Maintenance Technicians wage table verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified |
| PSA Airlines | $25.53/hr | 9 years | Sep 7, 2026 | sourcepsa-iam-cba · p.55 · A&P Mechanics wage tables verified 2026-08-11dual-read verified |
American Airlines: Wage date under review: January 1 is not a confirmed payroll start. See the American wage-date correction; amounts are unchanged.
‡ Allegiant Air: Half-step columns are fully verified but their effective dates are not printed; the annual November columns are shown — between Novembers the operative rate may briefly be the half-step (≈0.5% higher).
† Envoy Air: the dated scale tops at Step 9; the agreement prints a Step 10 top of $38.51 since Nov 2025, $39.67 from Nov 2026 with month-only dating, outside the dated scale, so no years-to-top figure is shown.
The first printed step of the current verified scale is shown; an agreement may allow an experienced hire to be placed above it. Years to top counts years on the printed scale — service, longevity or classification seniority, as each agreement keys its steps — until the printed step timing first reaches the top rate. Not stated in years means the top step is dated in months that do not make a whole or half year, so no conversion is made. Top step outside the dated scale (†) means the agreement prints a higher top step with month-only dating, so the dated scale’s top is not the agreement’s. Base rate only, before the A&P license premium and other additions.
Starting pay at a glance
Across the 9 carriers with a verified step table in effect, the highest first-step base rate is $36.61/hr at Alaska Airlines and the lowest is $25.53/hr at PSA Airlines.
Among the carriers with a years-to-top figure, the top rate is reached soonest at Southwest Airlines, after 5 years on the printed scale, and latest at PSA Airlines, after 9 years on the printed scale.
No years-to-top figure is shown for Hawaiian Airlines (not stated in years) and Envoy Air (top step outside the dated scale).
No starting rate is listed for Delta Air Lines: base scale not yet verified. Delta mechanics are not union-represented — the employer-published comparison material is archived here but is not a ratified pay scale.
What each scale pays at the top, and every change still ahead: the highest-paying airlines for mechanics and every upcoming raise, by date.
Go deeper
The full comparison and chart · estimate your own rate · the carrier coverage table