Major U.S. Airlines Hire Fewer Pilots in 2023

Despite an overall reduction in pilot hiring trends, some airlines reported a record year in 2023.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 02:59 PM ET

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Inside the cockpit of an Air Italy Boeing 737 Max. [Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr]

Key Takeaways:

Major U.S. airlines hired 12,335 pilots in 2023, a 6.2% decrease from 2022, but still the second-highest year on record.
Pilot hiring trends were mixed, with some carriers like Spirit, FedEx, and UPS halting or reducing recruitment, while Allegiant, American, Delta, and Southwest reported record hiring years.
The "big three" airlines (American, Delta, United) accounted for 57% of all new hires in 2023, despite United hiring fewer pilots year-over-year.
Projections for 2024 indicate pilot hiring will decrease to 75% of the last two years' figures, though still surpassing pre-pandemic levels, with regional carriers continuing to offer lucrative bonuses.

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Major U.S. airlines hired fewer pilots year-over-year in 2023, according to data from pilot career advisory firm FAPA. In total, the 13 U.S. major airlines that FAPA tracks recorded 12,335 new hires, a 6.2% decrease from 2022 figures.

This decrease comes on the heels of some airlines halting pilot hiring altogether. In October 2023, ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit indefinitely suspended hiring. Both FedEx and UPS have advised pilots already on property to look at flying at regional carriers, while also significantly pulling back the throttles on hiring.