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United Announces Expansion to Flight Training Center

The is growth part of the carrier's plans to hire 10,000 pilots this decade.

A United Boeing 737 rotating out of Washington Dulles. [Photo: AirlineGeeks | Peter Weiland]
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Key Takeaways:

  • United Airlines is hiring a record 10,000 new pilots this decade to address ongoing retirements and accommodate its expanding fleet of 800 new aircraft.
  • To support this demand, United has significantly expanded its Denver Flight Training Center, already the world's largest, by adding a new building with 12 more flight simulators, bringing the total to 52.
  • The $145 million expansion boosts the facility's capacity to train 860 pilots daily across 32,000 annual training events.
  • Despite the current expansion, United plans to build a second, entirely new training center near Denver International Airport, slated to begin operations in 2028, to meet future pilot training needs.
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Major carriers across the country have been hiring pilots at a record number since the recovery from the pandemic. Retirements are forecasted to continue with force through the end of the decade as well, begging the question of how carriers are planning to keep up with the pace. United alone says it plans to hire 10,000 new pilots this decade.

To achieve this, the carrier announced a significant expansion to the already large Flight Training Center in Denver. The expansion is a part of the carrier’s United Next Plan to incorporate an additional building to the training complex and create room for 12 additional flight simulators. 

Zach Cooke

Zach’s love for aviation began when he was in elementary school with a flight sim and model planes. This passion for being in the air only intensified throughout high school when he earned his Private Pilot Certificate. He then attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, earning his certificates and ratings to later flight instruct and share his passion for aviation with others. He now resides in the North East living out his dream as an airline pilot.

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