U.S. Pilot Hiring Plateaus in September and October

Following a record-breaking year of hiring in 2022, some U.S. airlines are beginning to level off on pilot recruitment.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, November 20, 2023 at 12:10 PM ET

Verified

Cockpit of the Boeing 737-10. [Photo: AirlineGeeks/Fangzhong Guo]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. airline pilot hiring is leveling off after a record 2022, with September and October 2023 showing an 11% reduction compared to the same period last year.
The industry is experiencing a shift from a general pilot shortage to a "captain shortage," as airlines struggle to get first officers to upgrade, particularly at regional carriers.
Cargo operators like FedEx and UPS have halted pilot hiring since early 2023, and some carriers like Spirit have stopped recruitment due to financial losses.
Despite recent monthly declines, overall pilot hiring for 2023 is still projected to exceed 2022's numbers, with some airlines like United continuing robust recruitment.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Following a record-breaking year of hiring in 2022, some U.S. airlines are beginning to level off on pilot recruitment. Across 13 non-regional airlines, September and October saw a reduction in pilot hiring of nearly 11 percent compared to last year. This comes on the heels of some shake-ups in the post-COVID blitz to recruit new aviators.

According to data from pilot career advisory group FAPA, major U.S. airlines hired a total of 2,116 pilots between September and October. The group’s data includes hiring trends from 13 U.S. airlines, including Delta, American, and United, along with smaller carriers such as Spirit, Frontier, and JetBlue.