Monday, 9 February 2026

Current 2026 US Airline Pilot Hiring Announcements


Pilot Positions Outlook 2026

Jan 12, 2026 —

Southwest has announced plans to hire approximately 872 pilots and upgrade to 662 pilots in 2026.  These hiring plans are a strong indicator that the airline is continuing to expand its operations and position itself for future growth.
Source: Aero Crew News


Oct 13, 2025 —

Delta Airlines has hired 520 pilots in 2025 and plans to hire approximately 600 pilots in Q1 2026. To offset retirements, they expect to hire over 1,500 pilots over the next three years, which underscores the need for continued pilot hiring.
Source: RTAG Industry Briefing 2025


Oct 13, 2025 —

American Airlines has scheduled 60 new-hire pilots per class, per week, through the end of the year (excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's).  They expect to hire 1,500 pilots in 2026 to offset over 800 retirements and plan for fleet growth. Source: RTAG Industry Briefing 2025


Oct 13, 2025 —

United Airlines has plans to hire approximately 2,500 pilots in 2026 to account for record growth and retirements.
Source: RTAG Industry Briefing 2025


Oct 13, 2025 —

Alaska & Hawaiian have hired 120 pilots for Q1 2026 classes. They plan for an additional 80 in Q4 2026 and more than 200 in Q4 2027 to supplement the airlines' growth as they become one operating certificate and expand their route.


Aug 21, 2025 —

Frontier Airlines continues its nationwide growth by launching 15 new routes this fall. They also anticipate receiving 21 aircraft in 2025, 22 in 2026, 34 in 2027, 34 in 2028, and 36 in 2029.
Beyond 2030, the airline expects to take delivery of an additional 40 aircraft. In response to these deliveries, Frontier plans to continue its pilot hiring at a steady pace to ensure adequate staffing for the expanded fleet and route structure.
Source: Airways Magazine


Mar 10, 2025 —

Piedmont grows fleet by pulling planes from storage: As the aviation industry emerged from COVID, planes to fly were plentiful, but commercial pilots to fly them were not. 
Source: Piedmont



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Dream Job Pilot? Part 3

Pilot Job Search & Career Planning

Release March 2026


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Current 2026 US Airline Pilot Hiring Announcements

Pilot Positions Outlook 2026 Jan 12, 2026 — Southwest has announced plans to hire approximately 872 pilots and upgrade to 662 pilots in 202...