Pilots at Eurowings Europe based in Spain are now eligible for some of the highest compensation in Europe if they lose their flight license or medical certificate. The new agreement sets strict conditions but guarantees up to €225,000 for captains and €127,500 for copilots.
Eurowings Europe has introduced a new policy for its Spain-based pilots: if a captain loses their flight license or medical certificate for reasons outside their control, they can claim up to €225,000 in compensation. Copilots are eligible for up to €127,500. These are among the highest payouts of their kind in European aviation, but the agreement comes with detailed requirements and exclusions.
The deal, published in Spain's BOE on September 4, sets out the conditions. To qualify, the loss of license or medical certificate must last at least twelve months or be permanent, and cannot be the result of the pilot’s own actions. Any incident involving non-prescribed drugs, alcohol, deliberate behavior, or voluntary risk-taking rules out a claim. The compensation amount also decreases as pilots near retirement, with payouts tapering off over the last ten years of their careers.
The collective agreement was officially registered and published in Spain's BOE on September 4, 2026, under document BOE-A-2026-18628, and consists of a 77-page PDF.
The agreement also covers forced relocations. If a pilot is required to move to a different base by company order, they receive a €10,000 mobility payment, or €15,000 if the move is to an island. If the pilot resigns or is dismissed for cause within three months of the transfer, the payment must be returned. There are exceptions for certain objective dismissals or if a disciplinary firing is later overturned.
Other financial benefits are included. Captains receive two lump-sum payments of €1,000 each in May and November, while copilots get €800 per payment. If the company’s flexible pay scheme is not in place by July 2026, these annual bonuses increase to €2,500 for captains and €2,000 for copilots, with the same payment schedule.
Pilots are also guaranteed at least 30 calendar days of vacation each year. Medical expenses are partly reimbursed: up to €350 for standard check-ups, €300 for additional reviews, and up to €2,000 for required medicals to regain flight fitness, as long as no other airline covers the cost.
According to independent reviews and official summaries, the agreement applies exclusively to pilots whose home base is in Spain and is not a pan-European rule. Its provisions are retroactive from January 1, 2025, and will remain in force until December 31, 2027, with some clauses having their own specific timelines.
The agreement applies only to captains and copilots based in Spain. Its terms are retroactive from January 1, 2025, and run through December 31, 2027, though some clauses have their own timelines. The scale and detail of the deal set a new standard for pilot protections in Spain’s aviation sector.
Eurowings’ move comes as European employers compete for skilled workers with targeted incentives. For example, Finland recently launched a campaign to recruit Spanish teachers with permanent contracts and competitive salaries, reflecting the wider competition for talent across industries.
By tying compensation to strict eligibility and excluding cases of personal fault, Eurowings aims to support its pilots while protecting itself from abuse. The agreement offers rare security in a field where careers can end suddenly due to health or regulatory changes, but the details matter as much as the headline numbers.
