Summary
- United Airlines has hired over 6,300 pilots since April 2021 and currently has a pilot group of 17,000 on the seniority list, making the pilot shortage a nonissue for the airline.
- The airline has experienced a powerful pipeline of pilot applicants, with 77% of the pilots hired in 2023 exceeding minimum flight hour requirements by a minimum of 1,000 hours.
- United Airlines has implemented various programs and pathways, equivalent to the United Military Pilot Program and the United Aviate Academy, to draw and train pilots for the airline. They plan to rent over 10,000 pilots in the subsequent decade.
United Airlines, certainly one of the three largest carriers in the US, is celebrating onboarding over 6,300 pilots since April 2021 and a pilot group with 17,000 pilots on the seniority list. For United Airlines, the US industrial pilot shortage of recent years appears to be a nonissue.
United Airlines setting hiring records
The flight operations team at United Airlines recently shared with its pilots, like Pamela Purdue, that the airline has enjoyed It’s so strong that about 77% of the two,348 pilots hired in 2023 exceeded minimum flight hour requirements by a minimum of 1,000 hours – a big milestone of flight experience.
Photo: United Airlines
Moreover, in accordance with Airline Geeks, United Airlines hired 270 pilots in October 2023 – nearly 70 latest pilots for every week of October. Cross-referencing with Future & Energetic Pilot Advisors (FAPA) – October was United Airlines’ biggest month for pilot hiring in 2023. FAPA’s table also indicated that for 2023, United Airlines’ ability to rent 2,349 pilots was only barely behind Delta Air Lines’ overall hiring, with Delta’s 2,424.
The ratification of a brand new contract for pilots has helped pilot hiring. The brand new contract comes with over $10 billion in latest investments for all pilots.
![shutterstock_607365620 (2)](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/shutterstock_607365620-2.jpg)
United Airlines Pilots Agree To Recent Contract With Immediate Effect
The most recent agreement represents improvements of just about $10 billion to current contracts.
Multiple pathways to being a United Airlines pilot
But there’s more to United Airlines’ pilot hiring success than size and pay. United Airlines has created and maintained multiple pathways to becoming a pilot for the airline.
Photo: United Airlines
For example, the United Military Pilot Program (UMPP) offers a pathway for military pilots of human-crewed aircraft to grow to be a primary officer pilot for United Airlines. There may be a mentorship program and special outreach. Moreover, United Airlines offers accommodation for those military pilots going from lively duty to the reserves.
Moreover, United Airlines has the United Aviate Academy (UAA) in Goodyear, Arizona. The academy accepts lower than 2% of applicants. Currently, it has 380 students training to hitch 3,000 pilots working for United Airlines partners – not only three exclusive United Express carriers to have sufficient experience to work for United Airlines.
Nonetheless, United Airlines’ Aviate program is greater than Aviate Academy, as seen above. Moreover, this system integrates members from participating universities, skilled flight training organizations, Part 135 operators, and United Express carriers right into a United Airlines flying profession.
Bottom line
As United Airlines says on its UnitedAviate.com webpage;
“We intend to rent greater than 10,000 pilots in the subsequent decade and have the biggest fleet of widebody aircraft in North America, offering you exciting opportunities to advance.”
With over 6,300 pilots hired in almost three years and 236 widebodies – already probably the most in North America, United Airlines is on a flight path to exceed its goals. But every United Airlines pilot – irrespective of their path – must pass United Airlines’ Denver Flight Training Center (FTC) before flying professionally for United Airlines. United Airlines recently invested in expanding the training facility.
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