Data Shows Rising Share of Women Pilots, but More Work Remains

U.K. Civil Aviation Authority figures are encouraging, but major barriers persist in aviation.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Despite recent growth, women still comprise a disproportionately low amount of the total number of pilots. [Credit: U.K. CAA]

Key Takeaways:

New data indicates a continued increase in the number of pilot licenses held by women in the U.K. and U.S., with U.K. commercial licenses for women rising by 5.4 percent since early 2026.
Despite this growth, women still represent a small minority of pilots, making up less than 7 percent of commercial license holders in the U.K. and around 7.7 percent in the U.S.
Industry leaders acknowledge the positive trend but stress that significant barriers, including disproportionate scrutiny and structural challenges, still need to be addressed to achieve greater gender equality in aviation.

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New data show that women make up an increased share of pilot license holders in the U.K., but there is “still a lot to be done,” according to Zohra Francis, acting general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA).

New figures from the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show that commercial pilot licenses held by women stood at 1,218 at the start of October, a 5.4 percent increase from the beginning of 2026 and 10.9 percent rise since the start of ‘25. In the general aviation sector, 1,773 women held licenses at the start of October, up 3.2 percent since the start of this year and 12.8 percent since the beginning of ‘25.