Airline pilot

What does an airline pilot do?

• Plan flights using weather, route, fuel, load and aircraft performance information.
• Check the aircraft and its documents before departure.
• Fly the aircraft with the other pilot, sharing tasks and checking each other's actions.
• Communicate with air traffic control, cabin crew and ground staff.
• Manage the automatic flight systems and monitor the aircraft throughout the flight.
• Handle technical problems, bad weather and medical or security emergencies.
• Complete flight logs and reports after each flight.

Where do they work?

Airline pilots work for full-service, low-cost and regional passenger airlines, cargo airlines and charter operators. Each pilot is based at a home airport, and rosters include early mornings, nights, weekends and public holidays. Long-haul pilots spend nights away from home and have to manage jet lag. Legal limits on flight and duty time help control fatigue. Many pilots move abroad for work, especially to fast-growing airlines in Asia and the Middle East.

What skills do you need?

• Aircraft handling and navigation
• Situational awareness
• Decision making under pressure
• Teamwork and crew resource management
• Clear radio communication in aviation English
• Mathematics and physics for flight planning
• Knowledge of meteorology and air law
• Discipline in following procedures

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• supervise crew
• read 3D displays
• have spatial awareness
• maintain counterweight inside modes of transport
• undertake procedures to meet requirements for flying aircraft heavier than 5,700 kg
• ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations
• operate radio navigation instruments
• perform take off and landing
• follow airport safety procedures
• apply signalling control procedures
• implement airside safety procedures
• ensure ongoing compliance with regulations

Essential knowledge: geographic areas · air transport law · air traffic control operations · visual flight rules · aircraft flight control systems · civil aviation regulations · common aviation safety regulations · aviation meteorology

How do you become an airline pilot?

Before you pay for any training, take a Class 1 medical examination (called first class in the United States) with an approved aviation medical examiner, because failing it would stop your career. Flight schools and airlines usually expect good school results in mathematics, physics and English. You can then train on a full-time integrated course, step by step through modular training, or through a competitive airline cadet scheme. Training covers theory exams, flying hours, a commercial licence, an instrument rating and multi-crew training. You then apply to airlines, pass assessments and a simulator check, and complete a type rating and supervised line flying as a first officer. Training is very expensive, so research funding and job prospects carefully.

1. Integrated course or airline cadet scheme. An integrated course is full-time training at an approved flight school that takes you from no experience to a commercial licence, usually in around 18 months to two years. In airline cadet schemes, the airline selects trainees and may offer a job, a type rating or help with funding. Some lead to a multi-crew pilot licence, designed for airline flying. Selection includes aptitude tests and interviews.
2. Modular training. Modular training lets you complete each stage separately: a private pilot licence, hour building, theory exams, the commercial licence, an instrument rating and multi-crew training. It usually takes longer than an integrated course, but you can spread the cost and keep working while you train. Airlines accept both routes when the training meets the required standard.
3. Aviation degree or military service. Some people take an aviation degree that includes flight training, or study a related subject such as aerospace engineering or physics first. In the United States, many new pilots work as flight instructors to build the flying hours needed for airline jobs, and graduates of approved aviation degrees can qualify with fewer hours. Former military pilots can convert their experience into civil licences.

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Do you need a licence to work as an airline pilot?

Airline flying is licensed everywhere. Licences follow international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and are issued by national authorities, such as the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States or authorities applying EASA rules in Europe. You need a commercial or multi-crew licence, an instrument rating, a type rating, a Class 1 medical and proof of English proficiency. Captains need an airline transport pilot licence, and in the United States first officers need one too. Pilots must renew medicals and pass regular simulator checks, and converting a licence to another country usually means extra exams.

How much does an airline pilot earn?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate pay estimate that matches this occupation, so we do not show one.

Earnings of Technicians and associate professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 3, "Technicians and associate professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes airline pilot and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Cadet or trainee pilot
2. First officer
3. Senior first officer
4. Captain
5. Training captain or chief pilot

Job outlook

Air travel tends to grow over the long term, especially in Asia and the Middle East, and many experienced pilots are reaching retirement age, which supports demand. However, airline hiring is very cyclical. Pandemics, recessions, high fuel prices and conflicts can stop recruitment quickly, and newly qualified pilots may wait a long time for a first job. Automation is already advanced, and regulators have discussed allowing only one pilot at the controls during parts of long flights in future. Losing your medical certificate can end a career.

Questions about becoming an airline pilot

Do you need a degree to become an airline pilot?

No. Many airlines do not require a degree, and most pilots qualify through flight schools or cadet schemes after secondary school. Airlines usually expect good results in mathematics, physics and English. Some pilots choose an aviation degree that includes flight training, and in the United States an approved aviation degree reduces the flying hours needed for an airline licence.

How long does it take to become an airline pilot?

A full-time integrated course usually takes around 18 months to two years, from no experience to a commercial licence. Modular training often takes longer. After you join an airline, the type rating and line training take several more months. Becoming a captain usually takes several more years and depends on the airline's growth, your experience and its seniority system.

What is the difference between a CPL and an ATPL?

A commercial pilot licence (CPL) lets you be paid to fly, and in many countries a CPL with the right ratings allows you to work as an airline first officer. An airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) is the highest level, requires much more flying experience and is needed to command an airliner. In Europe, trainees pass the ATPL theory exams early and receive the full licence once they have enough hours. In the United States, airline first officers also need the ATPL.

Can you become an airline pilot if you wear glasses?

Usually yes. Many airline pilots wear glasses or contact lenses. Class 1 medical standards allow corrected vision within set limits, and you must carry a spare pair of glasses when flying. Very strong prescriptions, some eye conditions and certain colour vision problems can cause difficulties, so book a Class 1 medical with an approved examiner before you pay for training.

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Sources

1. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
2. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 3153.2.2.1

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become an airline pilot: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/airline-pilot/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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