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Average Aviation Manager Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

An aviation manager in United Kingdom earns about 156,200 GBP a year. That's 124% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 78,200 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 245,600 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does an aviation manager make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
156,200 GBP
13,016 GBP per month
Lowest reported
78,200 GBP
6,516 GBP per month
Highest reported
245,600 GBP
20,466 GBP per month

A typical aviation manager working in United Kingdom brings home around 13,016 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 78,200 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 245,600 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior aviation manager working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the aviation manager salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How aviation manager pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all aviation managers in United Kingdom earn less than 160,700 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 107,700 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 206,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of aviation managers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 78,200 GBP. The highest stretch to 245,600 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

78,200
Low
160,700
Median
245,600
High
107,700
25th
206,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Aviation manager pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for an aviation manager in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical aviation manager salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    92,400 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +25% from previous
    115,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +40% from previous
    161,300 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +24% from previous
    200,600 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +8% from previous
    216,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    228,200 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 40%. That is the point at which a aviation manager typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Aviation manager pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving aviation manager pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average aviation manager salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Certificate or Diploma
    115,600 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +37% from previous
    158,900 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +52% from previous
    241,200 GBP

Aviation manager gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male aviation managers in United Kingdom earn an average of 160,700 GBP a year, while female aviation managers earn around 152,900 GBP. That works out to a 5% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Aviation Manager gender pay gap

5%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 160,700 GBP
Women 152,900 GBP

Pay raises for an aviation manager in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 14% every 16 months, which works out to roughly 11% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Aviation manager bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

86%

86% of aviation managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes an aviation manager a high-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary. The remaining 14% of aviation managers reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Aviation manager: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Aviation manager salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Aviation manager pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Glasgow
  • Sheffield
  • Edinburgh
  • Bristol
  • Somerset
  • Leeds
  • Liverpool
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion288,900 GBP295,400 GBP140,200-451,300 GBP
ScotlandRegion206,700 GBP206,700 GBP105,200-320,500 GBP
BirminghamCity176,300 GBP187,500 GBP79,600-278,500 GBP
GlasgowCity176,300 GBP172,300 GBP88,300-271,300 GBP
SheffieldCity175,200 GBP177,200 GBP87,500-272,900 GBP
EdinburghCity175,200 GBP175,200 GBP88,400-272,500 GBP
BristolCity172,200 GBP177,100 GBP87,300-272,500 GBP
SomersetCity172,200 GBP160,700 GBP95,000-263,700 GBP
LeedsCity172,100 GBP168,700 GBP89,300-265,800 GBP
LiverpoolCity172,100 GBP158,700 GBP94,800-260,300 GBP
LondonCity171,300 GBP184,700 GBP80,200-272,500 GBP
BrightonCity167,100 GBP176,300 GBP81,000-263,900 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity167,100 GBP167,100 GBP84,800-262,300 GBP
NewcastleCity165,900 GBP172,100 GBP79,000-262,300 GBP
CoventryCity163,800 GBP157,600 GBP88,600-253,400 GBP
BelfastCity163,500 GBP166,600 GBP79,600-255,000 GBP
ManchesterCity161,300 GBP172,300 GBP76,600-255,000 GBP
LeicesterCity161,300 GBP153,700 GBP84,800-245,400 GBP
BradfordCity160,600 GBP171,300 GBP74,200-254,400 GBP
CardiffCity160,600 GBP146,900 GBP86,100-243,000 GBP
NottinghamCity158,900 GBP158,900 GBP78,700-245,600 GBP
SouthamptonCity158,700 GBP158,700 GBP81,200-246,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity158,700 GBP172,300 GBP71,700-252,400 GBP
ArmaghCity158,700 GBP165,900 GBP76,000-250,600 GBP
OxfordCity158,700 GBP157,600 GBP79,500-245,600 GBP
YorkCity158,700 GBP168,700 GBP75,500-253,400 GBP
LincolnCity157,600 GBP148,300 GBP84,600-235,300 GBP
DerbyCity157,600 GBP142,300 GBP85,100-236,700 GBP
PlymouthCity157,600 GBP148,300 GBP84,200-235,300 GBP
PeterboroughCity157,600 GBP151,800 GBP81,000-238,200 GBP
NewportCity156,200 GBP169,700 GBP72,700-250,600 GBP
AberdeenCity156,200 GBP164,100 GBP73,800-246,200 GBP
SwanseaCity153,700 GBP160,600 GBP72,300-241,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity152,900 GBP163,800 GBP70,000-241,800 GBP
ExeterCity151,800 GBP160,700 GBP69,400-238,300 GBP
WalesRegion150,100 GBP153,700 GBP69,800-233,600 GBP
NewryCity150,100 GBP142,300 GBP78,500-227,600 GBP
ChesterCity148,300 GBP142,100 GBP74,900-223,800 GBP
DurhamCity148,300 GBP158,700 GBP66,200-233,600 GBP
StirlingCity146,900 GBP137,100 GBP80,700-223,700 GBP
NorwichCity146,900 GBP151,800 GBP72,400-229,600 GBP
DundeeCity146,900 GBP151,800 GBP70,500-229,000 GBP
GloucesterCity146,700 GBP151,800 GBP67,800-226,100 GBP
CambridgeCity146,700 GBP146,700 GBP73,500-223,800 GBP
PooleCity142,300 GBP130,500 GBP75,800-216,300 GBP
DerryCity142,300 GBP142,300 GBP69,800-222,300 GBP
HartlepoolCity139,100 GBP142,100 GBP65,700-216,300 GBP
WinchesterCity139,100 GBP128,200 GBP74,100-206,300 GBP
WellsCity137,100 GBP127,600 GBP70,600-206,100 GBP
InvernessCity137,100 GBP130,500 GBP69,400-206,300 GBP
LisburnCity134,700 GBP130,400 GBP68,100-206,700 GBP
WakefieldCity134,700 GBP128,400 GBP71,700-206,700 GBP
RiponCity134,100 GBP140,200 GBP61,400-212,500 GBP
BangorCity134,100 GBP127,700 GBP71,600-205,700 GBP
SalisburyCity134,100 GBP141,000 GBP64,600-210,400 GBP
TruroCity132,000 GBP130,500 GBP69,400-205,400 GBP
St DavidsCity132,000 GBP142,100 GBP61,700-209,700 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion130,500 GBP127,600 GBP65,900-201,000 GBP
AbingdonCity130,500 GBP124,500 GBP67,800-200,600 GBP
StromnessCity130,400 GBP140,200 GBP58,800-209,700 GBP
CanterburyCity130,400 GBP128,400 GBP65,700-205,700 GBP
StrontianCity128,200 GBP134,100 GBP58,600-200,600 GBP
KirkwallCity127,600 GBP119,700 GBP66,200-193,400 GBP

Aviation Manager in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does an aviation manager make per month in United Kingdom?

    An aviation manager in United Kingdom earns about 13,016 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 156,200 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for an aviation manager in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level aviation managers in United Kingdom start near 78,200 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 245,600 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 107,700 and 206,700 GBP.

  • Is the median aviation manager salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 160,700 GBP, higher than the average of 156,200 GBP. Half of aviation managers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for aviation managers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as an aviation manager in United Kingdom earn around 5% more than women on average (160,700 vs 152,900 GBP a year).

  • Do aviation managers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 86% of aviation managers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary.

  • Do aviation managers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays an aviation manager about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do aviation managers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    An aviation manager in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 14% every 16 months, equivalent to roughly 11% a year.