Etihad Airways · Captain / Commandant de bord
Captain A320 - Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways is hiring a Captain for its A320 fleet, based in Abu Dhabi. The role holds full command of the aircraft, responsibility for flight safety, and leadership of the crew.
- Employer
- Etihad Airways
- Position
- Captain / Commandant de bord
- Base
- Abu Dhabi
- Aircraft
- A320
- Contract
- Temps plein
- Pay (public sources)
- A320 captain: up to AED 674,029 a year; A320 first officer: up to AED 513,732 a year, tax-free, based on 75 flying hours per month (2025-2026)
- Seen
- 8 October 2026
Key points
- Based in Abu Dhabi
- Captain role on the A320
- Full-time contract
- Annual package of up to AED 674,029 (USD 181,589) based on 75 flying hours per month
- Airline expanding rapidly, aiming to double its fleet by 2030
What the employer asks for
- Minimum 5,500 total flying hours
- Minimum 2,500 PIC hours on multi-crew, glass cockpit aircraft
- Minimum 1,500 PIC hours on an A320 family aircraft
- Flown the A320 family within the last 12 months
- A320 type rating valid for at least 2 months at joining
- Unrestricted and current ICAO ATPL
- Current on A320
- Unrestricted and current Class 1 medical certificate
- Must not have reached age 59 on the day of joining
- English language fluency level 4 or higher (written and verbal)
- Current TRE/TRI is an advantage
What the employer offers
- Basic salary, flying pay, housing allowance, layover and meal allowances
- Annual package of up to AED 674,029 (USD 181,589) based on 75 flying hours per month
- Performance-based annual salary increments
- Education allowance of up to AED 40,000 (primary) and AED 55,000 (secondary) per child, for up to three children
- Income protection scheme
- 42 days of annual leave
- Staff travel benefits and exclusive Etihad discounts
- End-of-service benefits
- Accidental and life insurance coverage
- Relocation support to Abu Dhabi, including shipping container allowance, settling-in support, and family travel benefits
Summary written by ForAllPilots from the employer's posting. Only the official posting counts: check every condition before you apply.
Flag carrier, long-haul
Etihad Airways at a glance
One of the two national airlines of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi, linking its hub with Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and North America with an Airbus and Boeing fleet.
- Bases
- Abu Dhabi (Zayed International Airport)
- Fleet
- Airbus A320, A321, A321neo, A321LR, A350-1000 and A380; Boeing 777-300ER, 787-9 and 787-10; Boeing 777F freighters (A330-900, Boeing 777-9 and A350F on order)
Pilot recruitment
All pilots are based in Abu Dhabi. Etihad recruits direct-entry first officers and captains (vacancies are posted on its careers portal, rated or non-rated depending on the fleet) and holds recruitment events abroad, including in Europe (Munich, Frankfurt, Athens and Barcelona in 2026). Experience requirements vary by fleet and role: check each posting. The Cadet Pilot Programme is reserved for UAE nationals aged 18 to 29, with two years of training at the Etihad Training Academy (Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi). For a European pilot, the way in is therefore direct entry with airline experience. Check open positions on Etihad's careers page.
Pay and conditions, from public sources
Figures published by the airline, pilot unions or the press, each one dated (last update: October 2026). For information only.
- A320 captain: Etihad's job posting advertises up to AED 674,029 (USD 181,589) a year, based on 75 flying hours per month (2026).
- Trend: a 2025 posting for the same role advertised up to AED 637,304 (USD 171,589) a year, tax-free, on the same 75-hour basis (2025).
- A320 first officer: up to AED 513,732 (USD 138,318) a year, tax-free, based on 75 flying hours per month; this is a ceiling, not a guaranteed salary (November 2025).
- Package: it includes basic salary, flying pay, housing allowance, and layover and meal allowances, plus children's education support and annual leave (page consulted October 2026).
- A320 first officer requirements: either 2,000 hours including 1,500 multi-crew and 500 on type, or 1,500 hours including 1,000 on the A320 family; current A320 type rating, ATPL (frozen accepted), Class 1 medical and under 50 on joining (2025).
- A320 captain requirements: at least 5,500 total hours including 2,500 hours as pilot in command on multi-crew glass-cockpit aircraft (2026).
- Hiring: Etihad is holding pilot recruitment events in Munich, Frankfurt, Athens, Barcelona, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, plus a virtual session, between October and November 2026 (October 2026).
- Cadet programme: open to UAE nationals aged 18 to 29; online assessment, video interview, maths, physics and aptitude tests, then psychometric tests, group exercises and a panel interview, with about two years of training in Abu Dhabi and flight training in Spain (2025).
The Etihad Airways selection, as candidates tell it
What candidates report on forums (Aeronet, Pilot Jobs Network) and what the employer publishes, summarised by ForAllPilots. It is not the official process: it changes from one campaign to the next, always check the posting.
Reliability of the reports : medium
The stages
- Recorded video: introduction, one HR question and one technical question.
- Online COMPASS test before travelling.
- About two days at headquarters: written technical test, simulator, group exercise and interview; psychological tests on a tablet for some.
- Medical on the last day; the order of the stages varies between sessions.
The aptitude tests
- COMPASS: memory, task management, aircraft orientation, flight director tracking.
- Older accounts mention a Hogan personality test and an English test.
The technical part
- Written test on systems and procedures, with a greater or lesser type-specific component depending on the candidate.
- LOFT-type simulator session based on competency-based training: weather, ATC, multiple failures, PF and PM roles.
Candidates' tips
- Expect several failures in the simulator and verbalise your decision-making.
- In the group exercise (about 20 minutes on a scenario), take part without dominating.
- Prepare the ‘why Etihad’ question and the technical side of your current aircraft.
Our exercises to prepare
Give yourself every chance
A captain selection focuses on leadership, decision-making and crew management: prepare real situations, what you decided and why.
Expect an in-depth technical interview and a simulator session: go over abnormal procedures and the performance of your type.
Some airlines give aptitude tests to captains too: a refresher on the arithmetic and attention exercises never hurts.