Tax return for pilots.
A tailored return for airline, GA & helicopter pilots. Night Tax AI knows what your role can claim — and asks the right questions so nothing gets missed.
We work with
Deductions for Pilots
Claims most pilots workers miss.
Our AI is trained on every ATO ruling and industry benchmark relevant to pilots. Every eligible claim, none of the risk.
Type ratings, endorsements & renewals
Compulsory uniform & luggage
Medicals, licences & ASIC cards
Charts, EFB apps & subscriptions
Overnight & layover costs
Union & industry memberships
Why pilots is different
We know your industry, inside out.
Occupation-aware prompts
Night Tax AI uses ATO occupation guidance for pilots to suggest deductions specific to your role.
Records made simple
Upload receipts, snap logbooks, or type it in — we keep the evidence the ATO expects.
Reviewed by a registered agent
Every return is checked by David Orth, a registered tax agent, before it's lodged.
The complete guide
Everything pilots need to know at tax time.
Tax time as pilots in Australia doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you're employed full-time, part-time, casual, or a mix of the above, the same core principle applies: you can claim deductions for expenses you paid yourself that directly relate to earning your income. Night Tax AI is built to work through those expenses with you — quickly, accurately, and with a registered tax agent reviewing every return before it's lodged with the ATO.
Most pilots we help are surprised by how much they can legitimately claim. It's rarely one big-ticket item — it's the combination of small, everyday costs like type ratings, endorsements & renewals, compulsory uniform & luggage, phone and internet use, training, and the kilometres travelled between jobs or sites. Individually they seem minor. Added up across the year, they often push refunds hundreds or even thousands of dollars higher than a rushed myGov return would produce.
The Australian Taxation Office publishes occupation-specific guidance for most industries, and our AI is trained on it. When you tell us you work as pilots, we don't ask generic questions — we ask the ones that matter for your role, prompt you about deductions you may have forgotten, and flag anything that looks unusual so it can be checked before lodgement. That's how we protect your refund and keep you compliant at the same time.
The three golden rules
How the ATO decides what pilots can claim.
Every deduction on your return has to satisfy three simple tests. Night Tax AI checks each one for you as you go, so you can claim confidently without needing to memorise ATO rulings.
You paid for it yourself
The expense must have come out of your own pocket and not been reimbursed by your employer. If your employer paid or refunded the cost, it's not deductible on your return.
It relates to earning income
There has to be a direct connection between the expense and the income you earn as pilots. Personal costs — everyday clothes, standard commuting, private phone use — don't qualify.
You have a record
You need to be able to show the ATO the expense actually happened. Receipts, invoices, bank statements, logbooks or diary entries all count. Night Tax AI stores these against your return.
What to have ready
The details we'll ask pilots for.
You don't need to gather everything before you start. Night Tax AI pre-fills most of your income from ATO data, then walks you through the rest one screen at a time. Having these on hand makes it faster, but you can add anything later.
- Your tax file number and bank details for the refund
- PAYG payment summaries or income statements from each employer
- Any private health insurance statement
- Receipts, invoices or bank records for work-related expenses
- A rough estimate of work-from-home hours across the year
- A logbook or kilometre count if you use your own car for work
- Details of any second income — side jobs, ABN work, investments
Common mistakes
Where pilots usually leave money on the table.
After lodging thousands of returns, the same patterns come up again and again. These are the mistakes we see most often when pilots do their own tax on myGov — and exactly what Night Tax AI is designed to prevent.
- Forgetting small recurring costs. Phone plans, internet, subscriptions, union or association fees, protective gear — individually they feel trivial, together they can add hundreds to your refund.
- Guessing the work-from-home hours. The ATO's fixed-rate method needs a genuine record of hours worked from home. Night Tax AI helps you build a defensible estimate rather than a round number.
- Getting car claims wrong. Driving between home and work isn't deductible. Driving between jobs, sites or clients usually is. We ask the right questions so you claim what you're entitled to, and no more.
- Missing income and getting a bill later. Bank interest, a short stint of ABN work, a share sale, a side gig — we capture it all up front so there are no surprise ATO amendments six months later.
Work-from-home & vehicle
The two claims that trip most pilots up.
Working from home
If you do any part of your role from home — admin, calls, rosters, study, emails — you can usually claim a portion of your running costs. The ATO accepts a fixed rate per hour that covers electricity, internet, phone and stationery, provided you have a record of your hours. Night Tax AI walks you through the two methods and picks whichever gives you the bigger, defensible claim.
Using your own vehicle
If you drive your own car for work — between sites, to clients, to training, or carrying bulky tools you can't leave at work — those kilometres may be deductible. You can use the cents-per-kilometre method up to 5,000 km, or a logbook method for higher claims. We'll ask enough about your role to recommend the right one and stay well inside the ATO's rules.
How it works
From sign up to refund, in four steps.
Start online in minutes
Answer a few questions about your role as pilots. We pull your ATO pre-fill data automatically.
AI-guided deductions
Our AI asks the exact deduction questions the ATO expects for your industry — no jargon, no generic checklist.
Registered agent review
David Orth, our registered tax agent (TPB 26153991), personally reviews every return before it's lodged.
Lodged with the ATO
We lodge it, track its progress and let you know when your refund is on the way — usually within 10 business days.
FAQ
Pilots tax questions, answered.
How much does a tax return for pilots cost?+
Individual returns start from $149. That includes AI-guided preparation, a full review by our registered tax agent, and lodgement with the ATO. There are no surprise add-ons — the price you see is the price you pay, and you don't pay anything until you're ready to lodge.
How long does it take?+
Most pilots finish their return in around 15 minutes online. Once lodged, ATO refunds typically arrive within 5–10 business days directly to your nominated bank account.
What if I've had more than one job this year?+
That's completely normal for pilots. We combine income from every employer, apply the correct tax offsets, and make sure you're not double-taxed or under-withheld across the year.
What if I also did some ABN or cash work on the side?+
You can add sole-trader or contractor income to the same return. Night Tax AI handles both PAYG and business income together so you don't need two separate lodgements.
Is my information safe?+
Yes. Your data is stored on Australian infrastructure, encrypted in transit and at rest, and only accessed by our registered tax agent team. We never sell or share your information.
What if the ATO has a question later?+
We keep every receipt, worksheet and calculation attached to your return. If the ATO ever queries a claim, we help you respond — at no extra cost for the review of the original return.
Related occupations
Tax return guides for similar roles.
Pilots often overlap with related industries at tax time — many of the same deductions, records and ATO rulings apply. If your role sits across more than one of these, start with the guide closest to your day-to-day work.
Keep exploring
More ways Night Tax AI helps pilots.
PAYG employees, multiple jobs, side income.
ABN income for pilots doing contract work.
Companies, trusts and partnerships.
Built for PAYG workers who want a bigger refund.
From $149. Done tonight, reviewed by an agent.
Deduction guides for 40+ Australian roles.
Ready to lodge with pilots experts?
From $149. 30 seconds to begin. No payment required until you're ready to lodge.