Airlines are hiring pilots ahead of a post-pandemic pilot shortage. Mandatory retirements and COVID-related early retirements are combining to drive demand for qualified pilots. Pilots training and building their hours today will be competitively positioned to capitalize on this opportunity.
Regional and major airlines are hiring and facing a shortage of qualified pilots. Many regionals are offering tuition reimbursement competitive bonus packages, while major airlines like Frontier and Sun Country have formed partnerships with ATP allowing graduates to go straight from ATP at 1,500 hours straight to a Airbus or Boeing flight deck.
In the last 12 months, airlines hired ATP graduates, which is expected to accelerate throughout 2022. As reported by airlineweekly.com CEOs at United and American have said they currently face a pilot shortage, and Future and Active Pilot Advisors stated that major airlines plan to hire a record 9,000+ pilots in 2022. For aspiring pilots, this means they will see accelerated career progression and, at ATP, the opportunity to take advantage of the best airline financial assistance offers.
Kit Darby, an industry expert and retired airline captain specializing in forecasting pilot hiring, projects that significant future annual pilot retirements will drive demand for pilots.
Retirements averaging 4,100 new pilots per year will outpace the current capabilities of the flight training industry.
The return to normal growth will require twice as many new pilots.
The factors that caused the pilot shortage remain in effect, and the early retirements taken during the pandemic are increasing demand.
According to Boeing's Pilot and Technician Outlook, North America will need 208,000 pilots and an "adequate qualified pilot supply remains an important consideration as a large contingent of the workforce approaches mandatory retirement age." Further, Boeing states, "aspiring aviators who begin their training today will be well positioned to take advantage of new job opportunities as the industry recovers."
Future annual pilot retirements will average 4,100 new pilots per year and be greatest over the next five years.
A shortage of 12,000 pilots is expected by 2023 due to COVID-related early retirements and mandatory retirements.
Airlines are hiring, and not starting your career now means you will lose seniority to the aspiring pilots training today. Pilots choose their aircraft, flying schedules, location, and vacation schedules based on their seniority, which is also directly correlated to their pay. Your spot on the seniority list will affect you for the rest of your career. Delaying your career by one or two years could mean losing $400,000 to $800,000 in career earnings when you are a major airline captain.
By starting your Airline Career Pilot Program now, you will be able to take advantage of the following and get to the airlines first.
Here are a few of the most recent pilots hired by airlines. You can view all of ATP's airline placements every year, going back to 2001.
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