Current Airline Pilot Hiring Outlook - ERJ 175 Instrument Panel

Current Airline Pilot Hiring OutlookCareer Pilot Demand Forecast for 2023

Now is the time to become an airline pilot. Pilots training today face a bright career outlook with several key factors driving demand for qualified pilots.

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Ongoing Pilot Shortage

In its 2022-2042 Aerospace Forecast, the FAA cites the airline pilot shortage as an ongoing issue1 and one that is likely to persist. Boeing's Pilot & Technician Outlook projects that 128,000 pilots are needed in North America2.

The major contributing factors fueling the global pilot shortage include:

  • Airline pilot retirements versus pilots training to replace them.
  • Increasing demand for air travel with record numbers of passengers.

Airlines are Offering Huge Pay Raises to Pilots: To alleviate a spike in demand post-pandemic coupled with a major labor shortage, airlines are now offering dramatic pay increases to pilots in order to retain and attract new talent.

Commercial Pilot Salary Information »

Retirements Driving Demand for New Pilots

Airline pilots are required to retire at age 65, and an aging workforce approaching this mandatory retirement is creating a shortage of airline pilots.

Yearly Retirements at Major Airlines

80,000 Airline Pilots Are Retiring

Over the next 20 years, 80,000 airline pilots are retiring. United Airlines alone estimates half of their 12,500 pilots will retire over the next ten years, and they will need to hire 10,000 pilots over that period to keep pace with growth3. American Airlines has similar projections, with 7,200 of their 15,000 pilots set to retire over the next decade4.

Post-Pandemic Pilot Shortage

Early retirements during the coronavirus pandemic have accelerated demand for new pilots to enter the industry and begin training.5 According to Oliver Wyman, “With the lifting of COVID-19-related sanctions on air travel, demand rebounded more quickly in North America than elsewhere. As a result, the region already has an acute pilot shortage, equivalent to 11% of pilot supply, or about 8,000 pilots, and this gap will only widen throughout the decade… we expect that North America will be short nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032.“

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Industry Growth

Economic growth has contributed to increasing passenger demand that has exceeded long-term averages. Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer, all leading aircraft manufacturers, project increasing (even doubling) their commercial jet fleets to account for these demands for air travel by consumers.

Boeing Forecast

Trusted by more than 100 aviation regulatory agencies worldwide, the current Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook concludes that the aviation industry will need to supply more than 602,000 commercial airline pilots worldwide over the next 20 years2. Boeing's Current Market Outlook forecasts a market value of $7.2 trillion for new airplane deliveries, with the global fleet increasing by 80% through 2041 compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels6. The commercial services market to meet this demand is valued at $3.6 trillion.

Airbus Forecast

Airbus, an international manufacturer of passenger aircraft ranging in size from 100-seat jetliners to the 850 passenger double-deck A380, states in their Global Market Forecast that airline traffic is forecast to double in size in the next 20 years7. Airbus states there will be a demand for 39,500 new passenger & freighter aircraft over 2022-2041, with 60% for growth and 40% for replacement.

Embraer Forecast

Embraer is one of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers. It has produced more than 5,000 aircraft and is the market leader for commercial jets with up to 150 seats. Embraer's Market Outlook foresees world demand for 10,950 new aircraft with up to 150 seats over the next 20 years with a market value of $650 billion. Embraer foresees worldwide demand for air transport, increasing an average of 3.2% annually through 20418.

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Airline Pilot Hiring in 2023

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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 Spirit, Frontier, and Sun Country have formed partnerships with ATP allowing graduates to go straight from ATP at 1,500 hours straight to an Airbus or Boeing flight deck.

In the last 12 months, airlines hired ATP graduates, which is expected to accelerate throughout 2023. 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.

Seniority is EverythingGet There First With ATP

Airlines operate on a seniority-based system, where the pilot employed the longest is the highest on the seniority list, enjoying the best schedules, higher pay, and better quality of life. Getting to the airlines as quickly as possible to start building seniority ahead of unprecedented hiring is essential. Students training and earning their certification today will be competitively positioned to capitalize on the pilot shortage and establish their careers.

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Compare First-Year Pay at Each Regional Airline »
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