![Regional airlines play a crucial part in an aspiring aviators journey. [Credit: Unsplash]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/photo-1566827280214-d4040b6cb5ed.jpg?width=1740&height=1160)
Eagerness is a natural human emotion. For pilots finally eclipsing 1,500 hours of flight time, that feeling certainly comes with the territory.
After putting in the time and financial resources climbing the ranks from private pilot to commercial pilot, and all the way to an ATP, the understandable inclination is to go immediately knocking on the door of the major airlines and ask for a job.
Aviation as a career, or hobby, requires the dedication of lifelong learning, regardless of whether that dedication stems from necessity or passion. For many pilots, there’s a crucial next step in that continued journey of education and training in the pursuit of sitting in the captain’s seat of a major carrier—regional airlines.
The regional airlines remain a key training ground for pilots, with many offering compelling compensation packages, flow pathways to careers at major airlines, and most importantly, an experience-building platform, invaluable to a young pilot’s résumé.
Regional Airlines Overview
Regional airlines play a vital part in the United States’ air travel industry, connecting smaller communities to larger hubs across the country. Many regional airlines—operating as wholly-owned subsidiaries of major airlines or through codeshare agreements—function under the umbrella of larger mainline carriers.
For example, a flight out of a rural community might be booked through American Airlines, the flight attendants and crew could be wearing its uniforms, the airplane’s livery might display the American Eagle brand, but the flight, along with its crew, is operated by Envoy Air. These operations help bridge the gap between small towns and the rest of the country, as well as pilots needing Part 121 experience after finishing flight school.
Other examples include airlines like CommuteAir which operates under the United Express umbrella, or SkyWest, which contracts with several major airlines—including Alaska, Delta, American, and United—to conduct regional flights.
Career Pathways
A key advantage for pilots who have recently received their wings is that most regional airlines have career pathways, or flow programs, designed to be a clear steppingstone to a major airline job. Most major carriers have some sort of career advancement initiative, each with its own distinct offering.
Here is a breakdown of the career-advancement tracks at some major airlines in the U.S.:
American Airlines
The Texas-headquartered carrier offers its seniority-based cadet program through each one of its wholly-owned regional carriers—Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, or PSA Airlines.
- Program model: Seniority-based “flow” system
- Key requirements: Approximately five years of regional service to reach seniority
- Transition details: Pilots transfer directly to American without an additional interview.
- Pros and cons: Ensures a future at a major airline without a second interview; process often takes much longer than performance-based alternatives
Delta Air Lines
Through Delta’s regional subsidiary, Endeavor Air, pilots are able to enter the Career Advancement Program (CAP), a promotional program that guarantees a job offer once conditional performance metrics are hit.
- Program model: Performance-based Career Advancement Program (CAP)
- Key requirements: Fifty-four months of service (24 as captain), honorable discharge, and no recent DUIs
- Transition details: Job offer is guaranteed upon passing comprehensive background and performance checks.
- Pros and cons: Guaranteed job offer upon meeting specific metrics; requires a long service commitment (54 months) and strict adherence to performance/background standards
United Airlines
Offered through United Express participating carriers—CommuteAir, GoJet, or Mesa Airlines, which is expected to close on a merger with Republic Airways later this month.
A key difference between United’s Aviate program and the others is that you must apply in order to enter the program and be selected through an interview process.
- Program model: Interview-based entry system
- Key requirements: Sixteen-hundred hours logged as pilot in command (PIC).
- Transition details: Candidates must pass an interview to enter the program before eventually transitioning to first officer.
- Pros and cons: Clear progression defined by PIC hours. Candidates must face an interview and application process just to enter the program.
Compensation
Flying for a regional airline can be a worthwhile endeavor for a pilot’s wallet, which wasn’t always the case.
In 2015, the first-year earnings for first officers at a regional airline ranged from anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000. Fast-forward to today, and the average first-year compensation at a regional airline is roughly $94,000.
There are a number of factors that can influence how much a pilot can earn while flying for a regional airline. Variables such as location, aircraft type, and seniority all come into play—similar to factors affecting pay at a traditional nine-to-five job.
Most regional airlines offer other training reimbursement packages and bonuses for pilots who agree to sign on for a certain number of years, all of which can contribute to overall earning potential.
The largest pay increase seen at regional airlines is when making the jump from first officer to captain, as the PIC on regional flights typically earns anywhere from $140,000-$230,000 annually.
Experience Building
One of the most constantly talked about regulations governing Part 121 operations is the “1,500-hour rule” that establishes pilots must have logged at least that amount before flying for a commercial airline.
However, it’s the “1,000-hour rule” that is less frequently discussed but equally as important for those looking to serve a major airline.
The 1,000-hour rule states that for a pilot to serve as PIC under Part 121 operations, they must have logged that amount in air carrier experience. This time can be accrued by serving as second in command (SIC) for Part 121 operators, or as the PIC for Part 135 charter operations given that the aircraft is a multi-engine, turbine-powered airplane. Five-hundred hours can also be logged for military operations—again, given the pilot served as PIC on multi-engine, turbine-powered aircraft.
Regional carriers provide the most logical time-building route for aspiring airline pilots while also providing a comfortable earning potential and additional pipeline opportunities toward major airline employment.
Even though major airlines are technically able to hire pilots fresh off earning their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate to serve in the right seat, it remains a highly unlikely hiring practice. For a candidate to be employed immediately by a major carrier usually requires something in their background that sets them apart—like an experienced military career, for example.
While flying for the likes of Delta or United might be the ultimate goal, the regional airlines are where many aspiring aviators get their career start.
