Captain Meeks shares personal observations from his individual career and experience on the interview side. He is not speaking on behalf of Southwest Airlines, and this content has not been reviewed or endorsed by Southwest Airlines.
Last Updated: May 19, 2026
What Is Happening in Airline Pilot Hiring
Every pilot in the regionals knows the majors are hiring. What most of them do not know is the specific numbers, the timelines, the flow opportunities, and the retirement wave that is driving all of it.
That is what this week is about. No theory. No motivation. Just the intelligence you need to position yourself correctly before the airline pilot hiring window shifts.
Because windows do shift. The pilots who move while the numbers look like this are the ones who spend the next 30 years at a major carrier. The ones who wait are the ones who wonder why they waited.
Here is where things stand.
The Major Carrier Hiring Snapshot
Here is where airline pilot hiring stands across the major carriers today.
Delta Air Lines
Delta is planning 2,400 to 2,600 pilot hires for 2026, with weekly new-hire classes. About 600 of those landed in the first quarter alone. The pace stepped up after the Spirit shutdown. Delta confirmed it is accelerating reviews of Spirit pilot applications to fill upcoming interview slots.
United Airlines
United is planning approximately 2,500 pilots for 2026 with weekly new-hire classes. United Express partner hiring is up 36% year-over-year. Military and regional flow candidates are moving quickly.
American Airlines
American is planning approximately 1,500 pilots for 2026, with the broader plan of 10,000 pilots over the next five years. Weekly new-hire classes are running at 60 or more pilots. The application-to-class timeline is running 3 to 6 weeks for prepared candidates.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest hires at a steadier, lower volume than the larger majors. The application window is currently open: Friday, May 15 through Thursday, May 21, 2026. Southwest emphasizes that these gates do not stay open long. When applications are open, internal recommendations carry significant weight. If Southwest is your target, the culture test that catches qualified pilots off guard is what to prep for. Use this time to build your network and prepare your TMAAT stories. The pilots who are ready when the window reopens are the ones who get the call.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska is hiring hundreds of pilots for a new San Diego base as part of aggressive West Coast expansion. The carrier is also launching London Heathrow service from Seattle on May 21, 2026. Applications are open. Alaska has a strong culture focus and a West Coast domicile concentration. If you are West Coast-based or West Coast-curious, this is worth serious attention.
The Retirement Wave Behind All of This
Here is the math behind every airline pilot hiring number above.
Congress has not passed the age 67 rule. The mandatory retirement age remains 65. That means the airline pilot shortage everyone has been anticipating is hitting exactly as projected, and it is not slowing down.
Major carriers face a significant pilot retirement wave through the end of the decade. Industry estimates put 12,000 to 16,000 retirements over the next five years, with the cumulative pilot shortfall projected to exceed 28,000 by 2030. The seats being vacated are not being replaced by a surge of qualified pilots waiting in the wings. The pipeline is tight. The regionals are competing for the same bodies. This is a historical airline pilot hiring environment.
What Spirit’s Closure Means for the Window
Spirit shut down operations on May 2nd, 2026, and the displaced pilots are entering the same hiring window. The majors are going to give them interview opportunities. Not preferential hiring, but preferential consideration for slots. From the recruiter side, that is simple math.
Approximately 2,000 experienced Spirit pilots are now unemployed, and the airlines want to take care of them. United’s pilot agreement includes a preferential-interview clause for displaced ALPA pilots, and ALPA is actively coordinating similar arrangements carrier by carrier. Different carriers will meter them in differently, and the interview slots are getting filled fast.
So if you were targeting one of the majors and you are not displaced, the slots ahead of you just got more competitive on sheer numbers. The same window is open. The same retirement wave is driving it. The lineup just shifted.
The move for everyone else: tighten your application now and do not wait. The pilots who positioned themselves before the closure are still in the lineup. The ones who hesitate will sit behind the displaced wave.
The Regional Carriers Worth Knowing About
If you are building hours or positioning yourself for a flow, here is where the smartest money is:
Endeavor Air, Delta Connection
Endeavor Air is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. First year first officer pay is around $94,000 at current rates. Signing bonus up to $20,000. Contractual career pathway to Delta, with advancement possible in as little as 24 months. Bases at MSP, DTW, and NYC. If Delta is your target airline, this is the most direct path available.
Piedmont Airlines, American Connection
Piedmont Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, operating an Embraer fleet from PHL and CLT. First year first officer pay around $86,000; first year captain pay around $138,000. Captain upgrade in as little as 18 months. Flow to American in five years. Direct Entry Captain bonus programs have historically run up to $100,000; check current availability with Piedmont.
Envoy Air, American Connection
Envoy Air is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines. First year pay around $135,000 with new-hire incentives. Flow to American in approximately 5.5 to 6 years. Bases at DFW, ORD, MIA, and PHX.
SkyWest
SkyWest is an independent regional carrier flying for Delta, United, American, and Alaska. First year first officer pay around $83,000; first year captain pay around $130,000. Signing bonus of $7,500 for previously typed pilots. SkyWest pilots have guaranteed interview eligibility at Delta (captains qualify in 24 months) and Alaska, plus a United Conditional Job Offer pathway through the United Pilot Program once a pilot reaches 400 hours. Bases at major hubs nationwide.
PSA Airlines, American Connection
PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, operating a fleet of 147 aircraft (60 CRJ700s and 87 CRJ900s). First year first officer pay $99/hr; first year captain pay $157.50/hr, with captain pay starting at 750 hours. PSA’s 2024 Direct Entry Captain bonus program reached $175,000 for qualified pilots with 950+ hours and a CL-65 type rating or previous 121 Captain experience. PSA technically accepts R-ATP candidates with 1,250 hours and ATP candidates with 1,500 hours. In practice, most new hires come from PSA’s own cadet program. Off-the-street candidates typically need over 60% of their total time as dual given, which works out to around 600 hours for R-ATP or 900 hours for ATP. PSA offers a guaranteed direct flow to American Airlines, with top-of-scale pay if you choose to stay. Five commutable bases at CLT, DCA, PHL, DAY, and DFW.
CommuteAir, United Express
CommuteAir is a regional partner of United Airlines, operating 57 ERJ-145s and 1 E170. First year first officer pay $78.39/hr starting; first year captain pay $150/hr. Sign-on bonus of $20,000 for first officers. CommuteAir is a United Aviate partner with a structured flow pathway to United mainline. Hubs at Houston (IAH) and Washington Dulles (IAD).
GoJet Airlines, United Express
GoJet Airlines is a regional carrier operating 56 CRJ-550s exclusively for United Express. First officer pay $91/hr; captain pay $146/hr. GoJet is a United Aviate partner. Bases at STL, EWR, IAD, and ORD.
Horizon Air, Alaska Air Group
Horizon Air is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, operating 44 E175s with the fleet expanding to 50 by end of 2026. First year first officer pay $93/hr; first year captain pay $154/hr. Total package includes $2.25/hour per diem, 401(k) match dollar-for-dollar up to 8%, and standby travel on Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Alaska’s Pathways Program offers Horizon pilots a seniority-based path to Alaska Airlines first officer once they reach 1,000 hours of PIC time at Horizon. Alaska targets 30 to 50 percent of new-hire pilots from Horizon. Bases at SEA, PAE, GEG, PDX, MFR, BOI, and ANC.
Republic Airways, American Eagle / Delta Connection / United Express
Republic Airways operates the world’s largest all-Embraer 170/175 fleet of 311 aircraft, flying for American, Delta, and United. First year first officer pay approximately $93,000 based on 85 credit hours per month, with up to 12% 401(k) match. Signing bonuses for qualified pilots range from $5,000 to $15,000, plus $25,000 in bonuses through the ATP Career Track and a $25,000 bonus at Captain upgrade. Republic does not have a guaranteed flow to any major airline, but its multi-carrier service builds connections across the industry. Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.
Flow programs, pathway programs, and partnership relationships are some of the most undervalued assets on the airline pilot career path. When the major carrier door opens and you’re already in the system through any of these, the process looks very different than applying cold.
The Cargo Picture
FedEx
FedEx is working through a pilot surplus after parcel volumes declined in 2023 and 2024. FedEx and its pilot union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract in April 2026; hiring is expected to resume after ratification. If FedEx is on your radar, the move is to network aggressively so you are positioned when the door opens.
UPS
UPS hires selectively and primarily through invitation, with a preference for internal cargo and military candidates.
Atlas and Kalitta
Atlas and Kalitta are actively hiring. Requirements include an ATP with turbine PIC preferred. Cargo carriers tend to move faster than the majors once they invite you, and Aviator Intelligence prep applies across cargo and passenger interview formats.
The Move From Here
Hiring timelines vary by carrier and current demand. Once you’ve applied, expect anywhere from a few weeks to a few months between application and class date depending on the carrier and where they are in the hiring cycle. Between application and in-person interview date, the phone screen that quietly decides who advances is the gate most pilots don’t see coming. If you are targeting upcoming class dates, the time to apply is now, not next month.
For current hiring windows and application status, check the careers page of every carrier on your shortlist.
Whether you’re targeting the majors, the regionals, or cargo, Aviator Intelligence has the airline interview prep dialed in from the recruiter side. From resume review, logbook review, application review all the way to the interview prep drills that match what the hiring panel is looking for. The resume and application angles that move flow candidates to the front. The specific airline culture-fit and TMAAT framework. Whichever carrier on your shortlist, you’re not starting from scratch.
Fleet Orders That Signal Where the Jobs Are Going
The aircraft orders being placed tell you where hiring demand is being built for the next 3 to 5 years:
- United has approximately 160 A321neo and A321XLR deliveries scheduled over the next several years, with expected growth at LAX, DEN, and IAH.
- Delta has a substantial A321neo backlog plus continuing widebody A330neo orders, signaling continued international expansion.
- American has 30 Boeing 787-9s on order with deliveries through the end of the decade, with widebody growth centered at ORD and DFW.
- Southwest has over 450 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on firm order for continued domestic expansion.
New bases and expanded positions follow new equipment. United opened a Las Vegas pilot base in 2023 alongside Orlando, the first new United pilot bases in 20 years. Delta has expanded its Boston pilot base. American continues to grow its hub footprint. These are not rumors. These are funded, scheduled expansions.
The Events Where Careers Get Made
Networking is not optional in this environment. Several major pilot recruiting conferences run throughout the year, including WAI, TPNx, PAPA, OBAP, LPA, and RTAG. Watch each org’s site for current dates. The pilots who are visible at these events collect recommendations, meet recruiters face to face, and move to the front of a pile that is growing by the thousands.
At every one of these events, the same rule applies: bring your resume printed on 32lb quality paper. The physical feel of a well-prepared resume in a recruiter’s hand is a signal that most candidates never think to send.
The Industry Health Numbers That Confirm the Timing
Major carriers continue operating at historically high load factors. Pilot hiring at the majors rose 17% in 2025 over the prior year, and 2026 is shaping up as one of the strongest hiring years since the post-pandemic surge. Across Delta, United, and American alone, 2026 projections add up to roughly 6,500 new hires; Southwest adds more on top. Fuel costs have roughly doubled, and the majors are responding. Delta is reducing capacity growth. United announced a 5% capacity cut for 2026. American is projecting a $4 billion fuel hit, with fare increases offsetting a portion.
None of it changes the structural reality. Major carriers have secured multi-year contracts that reset the industry pay floor. Some are already in renegotiation as their amendable dates approach. The airline pilot hiring outlook for the next 3 to 5 years remains historically strong. The retirement wave does not care what fuel does.
This is not a bubble. This is a structural shift driven by demographics, fleet expansion, and a retirement wave that has been building for a decade. The pilots who move now while airline pilot hiring is open are the ones positioned to ride the entire wave.
The ones who wait are still waiting.
Resources Worth Exploring
Aviator Intelligence Masterclass Digital Course
The hiring numbers are one piece. Knowing how to perform at the level that converts an application into an offer is another. This course covers every stage of the process, from application to interview to career progression, built by someone who spent 15 years evaluating candidates from the other side of the table. Visit the services page for current pricing and what is included.
Real-time hiring alerts, current airline pilots inside, and a community built for pilots who are serious about making the move.
