The inhibitory performance of three distinct protic ionic liquids (PILs), namely, 2-hydroxyethyl ammonium formate (PIL 01), 2-hydroxyethyl ammonium propionate (PIL 02), and 2-hydroxyethyl ammonium pentanoate (PIL 03), was evaluated to determine their suitability as eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel (ASTM A36) in a 3.5 wt. % NaCl aerated neutral electrolyte solution. Standard corrosion inhibitor assessment methods, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), weight loss measurements, and microscopic techniques (SEM and optical microscopy), were employed to examine the steel surface and corrosion rate. There is a general agreement that the inhibition efficacy is directly associated with the adsorption capacity of substances on the surface of an investigated material, normally stainless or carbon steel. The standard free energies of adsorption were approximately -22 kJ mol