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The Best-Paid US Airline CEO in 2018 Was ...

Ben Mutzabaugh
Ben Mutzabaugh
Managing editor
Ben Mutzabaugh is one of the nation's longest-tenured journalists covering aviation, having started with USA Today's groundbreaking "Today in the Sky" blog in 2002. From the inaugural flight on Virgin America to the final flight on US Airways, Ben has been at the forefront of aviation news in the U.S. for two decades.
May 29, 2019
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3 min read
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The Best-Paid US Airline CEO in 2018 Was ...
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Delta Air Lines Ed Bastian was the highest-paid US airline CEO in 2018.

His total compensation for the year, including base pay and bonuses, came in at about $15 million, according to an annual review in Skift tracking CEO compensation for the US airline industry.

Bastian's overall earnings came despite a base pay of less than $900,000, meaning the rest of his compensation stemmed from "big bonuses for reaching short-term and long-term incentives," according to Skift.

At least one analyst thought the compensation was in-line for the top executive at Delta, which by most accounts is currently the USA's top-performing carrier.

"Delta's results seem to justify the CEO's $15M all-in compensation," Wolfe Research analyst Hunter Keay wrote in a research note quoted by Skift. "Delta pays its people generously, but they hunt in packs and deliver results."

Bastian's compensation for 2018 was a 13.45% increase from his earnings in 2017.

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Coming in at No. 2 was American Airlines CEO Doug Parker. His 2018 compensation of about $12 million represented a 1.45% decline in earnings from 2017, making him just one of two big US airline CEOs to earn less in 2018 than in 2017. (Alaska Air Group's Brad Tilden was the other, according to Skift.)

Skift's Brian Sumers writes Parker "is unique among (airline) CEOs, as he takes no salary, and all of his bonus is paid in stock."

At United, the total 2018 compensation for CEO Oscar Munoz came in at about $10.5 million, Skift calculated. That was about $1 million more than his total in 2017.

Munoz's increase in pay came as United as a whole continued on a trajectory of improvement after a long rocky patch earlier this decade. Munoz's compensation was a mix of base pay and bonuses, though he did miss earning a bonus for one customer-service metric that was put in place by the company's board following the Dr. Dao incident in 2017.

"While progress has been made, the Company had not yet achieved the desired levels of customer satisfaction," United said about that metric in an April 11 proxy filing.

For Southwest, Skift noted CEO Gary Kelly "continues to make less than his peers, even as his company continues to report solid results." For 2018, Kelly's total compensation was $7.7 million, an increase of about 2% from the year prior.

Featured image by AFP/Getty Images

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  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.