- Regional airlines are the smaller feeder airlines that fly smaller aircraft, usually 50 to 100 seats to hubs operated by larger airlines. Regional airlines often fly under a branded name in association with a larger airline. For example Colgan Air often does business as Continental Connection; Trans States Airlines does business as United Express and U.S. Airways Express.
- Generally, pilots that want to fly for the larger airlines need to accumulate sufficient experience and hours before they are hired. Such pilots start their careers with smaller regional airlines and may later transition to a larger airline, where the pay is often better. Such a transition, however, results in the loss of seniority with the regional carrier as these pilots must start from the bottom with a new air carrier.
- The starting salaries at regional airlines can be fairly low. Cape Air, for example, starts some first officers out at $9 on some of its aircraft, according to AirlinePilotCentral.com. Other regional airlines, such as Delta commuter airline Comair, starts it regional jet first officers out at $22 per hour.
- As with many professions, the more seniority a pilot accumulates with the regional carrier, the higher the salary. A first officer at a regional airline can elect to eventually become a captain if he or she is qualified. Captains, considered the commander-in-chief of the aircraft, earn more money because of increased responsibility. Captains of regional airlines with more than 15 years of service generally earn more than $100 per hour.