U.S. Pilot Hiring on Track to Eclipse 2022 Levels

Pilot hiring is climbing to previously unseen levels with 2023 looking likely to surpass last year's numbers.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Wednesday, October 04, 2023 at 06:55 PM ET

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Inside the cockpit of an Airbus A220. [Credit: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. aviation industry is experiencing unprecedented pilot hiring, with 2022 setting a record of over 13,000 pilots and 2023 on track to exceed it, fueled by a projected global demand for 649,000 new pilots over the next 20 years.
This surge in hiring is primarily driven by passenger carriers like American, Delta, and United, while major cargo operators such as FedEx and UPS are seeing a post-COVID decline in operations and have largely paused pilot recruitment in 2023.
Major airlines are actively working to address barriers to entry, particularly the high cost of pilot training, by establishing their own flight schools and offering financial assistance programs to attract and train new pilots, including initiatives for military aviators.

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The aviation industry is currently in an unprecedented time for multiple reasons, however, one in particular stands out compared to the rest: pilot hiring. In 2022, airlines in the United States set a record by hiring just over 13,000 pilots, almost tripling the previous high of just over 5,000 in 2021.

While the industry has seen significant peaks and lulls over the years, the current state shows pilot hiring climbing to previously unseen levels, with 2023 forecasted to surpass the hiring that occurred in 2022.