Airline Career Pilot Program

Looking For a Career as an Airline Pilot?

Choose Your Starting Point

Routes to Become a Career Airline Pilot

Becoming an airline pilot is a road that starts with getting your Private, Instrument and Commercial Pilot ratings. Once completed with these ratings students typically have 250 - 300 of total flight time. The requirement to fly "jets" is 1500 total hours.... how do you get there?

Our accelerated path to Southern is one way and the other is becoming a Certified Flight Instructor. JA Flight Training offers all Instructor ratings and hires our Instructors from from within.

Airline Pilot Salary:
How Much Money Do Pilots Make?

The salary of an airline pilot depends on many factors, such as their employer, their experience, and their location. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers was $211,790 in May 2022. However, this figure may change in the future, as some sources predict that it will increase by 20-40% over the next four years. Therefore, if you want to pursue this career path, you should plan ahead and budget accordingly.

Requirements To Become an Airline Pilot

To become an airline pilot, you must first enroll in a school certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). You will start by obtaining a private pilot's license and progress to a commercial license while also earning instrument and multi-engine ratings. This requires both ground schooling and many hours of flight time with an instructor.

Once you obtain your commercial license, you can begin flying for paid positions in industries such as agriculture and tourism while working toward your final rating, which allows you to fly for commercial airlines. For those with no prior experience, this process typically takes about two years to complete. However, accelerated programs are available for individuals who already hold a pilot's license.

While a bachelor's degree is not mandatory to become an airline pilot, having one may make you a more competitive candidate. The expectations for pilots vary between airlines, with some requiring more experience as a commercial pilot than others.

How To Choose the Right Flight School

There's never been a better time to become a pilot, with more and more jobs opening up. Our Pilot School is right at the JA Air Center campus at Aurora Airport in Chicago. It's a great place to learn how to fly in busy airspace, and it's close to the city of Chicago.

Thanks to new technology, learning to fly is easier and quicker than ever. But at our school, you won't just learn to fly. You'll become part of the exciting world of aviation, a field that's always moving forward. If you've always dreamed of being a pilot, why wait? Start your journey with JA Flight Training today and get ready to soar.

Google Reviews

Achieving and maintaining a consistent record of 5-star reviews demonstrates the school's dedication to delivering top-notch aviation education and creating a supportive environment for students to thrive. 

Love training at Ja flight training. Great people and the best instructors. The airplanes are very well maintained, highly recommend.

Faisal Sweiss