The average air traffic controller salary in the UK is around £51,000 a year, ranging from roughly £40,000 for entry-level to £66,000+ for experienced controllers.
The role of an Air Traffic Controller in the UK is both critical and highly rewarding. As the aviation industry continues to prioritize safety and efficiency, the demand for skilled air traffic controllers remains strong. From bustling airports in London to key airspace hubs in Manchester and Edinburgh, employers are seeking highly trained professionals, offering competitive salaries and exceptional opportunities for career growth in this high-stakes field.
Air traffic controller salary
Base pay £40K – £66K/yr
£51K/yr average base pay
The estimated salary for a Air Traffic Controller is £51,286 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The “Most Likely Range” represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilises salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
Air traffic controller salary by experience in the UK
| Experience | Salary |
| Entry | £40,000–£51,000 |
| Mid | £51,000–£58,000 |
| Senior | £66,000+ |
Air traffic controller pay in the UK depends heavily on where you’re based and who you work for: NATS (the UK’s main air navigation provider) follows a structured pay scale, while controllers at busy hub airports like Heathrow or Gatwick typically earn more than those at regional airports. Years of experience, additional certifications, and shift patterns all affect where someone lands in this range.
Pay rises further with experience and posting — controllers at the busiest units, such as Heathrow or the Swanwick and Prestwick control centres, tend to sit toward the top of that range and beyond once shift allowances and seniority are factored in.
As NATS puts it on its own careers site: “24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, our Air Traffic Controllers help keep aircraft flying, passengers travelling, cargo moving and the skies above us safe.”
Source: NATS, “Trainee Air Traffic Controllers”
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How to Become an Air Traffic Controller in the UK
Most UK controllers train through NATS, the country’s main air traffic services provider, which handles around 2.5 million flights a year. Training runs through NATS’s Level 5 Trainee Air Traffic Controller Apprenticeship: after a short induction, you spend 12–18 months at one of NATS’s training centres (Whiteley in Hampshire, or Gloucestershire Airport) working towards a Student Air Traffic Control licence, combining simulator practice with theory. Once you hold that licence, you move to a live operational unit for hands-on training until you’re validated and issued a full ATCO licence.
There are three specialisms to choose from once qualified: Aerodrome (Tower) control, Approach control, and Area control, each with a different skill set and posting. Entry requirements are strict, since it’s a safety-critical role: you need to be 18 or older, hold 5 GCSEs at grade 4+ including English and Maths, pass National Security Vetting to SC level, and clear a CAA Class 3 medical assessment. Applicants also need indefinite, unrestricted right to work in the UK — NATS cannot sponsor visas for this role.
Highest paying cities for Air traffic controller near United Kingdom
- Swanwick £136,171 per year
6 salaries reported - Huntingdon
£105,527 per year
7 salaries reported - Cambridge
£86,206 per year
6 salaries reported - Inverness £71,160 per year
5 salaries reported - Southampton £61,828 per year
14 salaries reported - London £54,769 per year
5 salaries reported - Darlington £51,508 per year
10 salaries reported - Cranfield £36,975 per year
5 salaries reported - Liverpool £35,157 per year
8 salaries reported
Do I need a degree to become an air traffic controller in the UK?
No — NATS doesn’t require a degree. You need 5 GCSEs (grade 4+) including English and Maths, and you must pass the assessment centre, security vetting and a CAA Class 3 medical.
How long does air traffic controller training take?
Typically 12–18 months of college-based training for your Student licence, followed by further unit-based training (around 12–15 months) before you’re fully validated.
