What Does It Take to Become an Airline Captain in the US?

Upgrading to captain at an airline represents a significant milestone in a pilot’s career. This achievement is the culmination of years of flight training, extensive flying hours, and operational experience. Requirements for this upgrade vary by country and regulatory authority, but this article focuses on the criteria under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations in the United States (US).

Flight Hours Requirements

Flight hours are fundamental to multiple FAA certifications, from private pilot to commercial certificates. For an airline transport certificate holder aspiring to become a pilot-in-command (PIC), the FAA stipulates minimum flight hours. According to 14 CFR 121.436, a captain must have at least 1,000 hours as second-in-command (SIC) at the airline level. However, meeting this requirement is not always straightforward.

Gaining Flight Hours Through Civilian Flights

Pilots can accumulate the necessary flight time through various methods beyond Part 121 airline experience. One option is flying 1,000 hours as PIC under Part 91 or Part 135 operations. The Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute specifies that these hours can be achieved through:

• Second in command in operations under this part
• Pilot in command in operations under § 91.1053(a)(2)(i)
• Pilot in command in operations under § 135.243(a)(1)
• Pilot in command in eligible on-demand operations meeting § 135.4(a)(2)(ii)(A)
• Any combination of the above

Before serving as PIC in Part 91 and 135 operations, the pilot must have accrued 1,500 flight hours and hold an Airline Transport Certificate. Thus, the minimum flight time for someone transitioning from Part 91 or 135 to a Part 121 airline captain is theoretically 2,500 hours: 1,500 to qualify as PIC in the initial operation and 1,000 hours as PIC.

Civilian Pilots’ Pathways

Civilian pilots’ total flight hours required for an upgrade vary based on their certification path. Pilots certified under Part 61 need 1,500 hours to obtain an airline transport license, making the minimum total time for a captain upgrade 2,500 hours after 1,000 SIC hours at airlines.

Pilots who complete an aviation-focused university program qualify for an ATP certificate with reduced hours. These pilots need 1,000 hours to earn their ATP, reducing the total captain upgrade time to 2,000 hours—1,000 hours for the ATP and 1,000 hours as a first officer under Part 121.

Military Flying Experience

Military service provides another route to accumulating flight experience. Up to 500 hours of military flying can count towards the 1,000 hours required for airline captain qualification if the pilot served as PIC on a fixed-wing turbine aircraft requiring two or more crew members.

While this theoretically reduces the required flight time for military pilots compared to civilians, practical experience still plays a role. Military pilots can qualify to fly for airlines with as few as 750 total hours, but gaining PIC experience on multi-engine turbojets takes time, often aligning their total hours with civilian counterparts.

Age Requirements

FAA regulations under Part 61 dictate minimum age requirements. A pilot must be at least 21 to hold a restricted ATP, allowing them to fly at the airline level. However, this restriction lifts only when the pilot turns 23, the minimum age to become an airline captain, as the PIC in airline operations must hold an unrestricted ATP.

Industry Realities Post-Pandemic

While these are the minimum requirements, the practical path to becoming a captain often involves more experience. Before 2020, it was rare for US airline captains—whether at regional, low-cost, or mainline carriers—to upgrade with just the minimum experience. This trend shifted in the post-pandemic era, as many captains took early retirement and a significant percentage of active captains approached retirement age, leading to widespread demand for pilots.

Regional airlines have successfully recruited and trained captains from Part 91 and 135 backgrounds. Many regional airlines also encourage first officers to upgrade to captain upon logging their 950th hour under Part 121, with the remaining 50 hours completed during line operational training. Even major carriers are now offering upgrades to eligible first officers earlier than historical norms due to industry-wide personnel turnover.

Hesitation Among First Officers

Despite eligibility, many first officers opt not to upgrade to captain. Reports from Reuters and other sources indicate that United Airlines struggled to fill about 50% of its captain vacancies over the summer. This shortage is not unique to United; other airlines face similar challenges.

Contracts between airlines and pilots can sometimes mandate upgrades when FAA requirements are met. However, first officers might decline the upgrade for various reasons, including feeling unprepared, preferring the stability of their current schedule, or avoiding the unpredictability of a junior captain’s reserve schedule.

Maintaining Standards

Although the average age of captains may be decreasing, the standards and experience requirements remain rigorous. Captains undergo extended Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, additional line operating experience, and are subject to annual FAA check rides and internal company evaluations. The fourth stripe is not just earned—it is continuously validated through ongoing assessments and training.

Becoming a captain is a milestone that reflects not only a pilot’s flight hours but also their commitment to maintaining high standards in safety and performance throughout their career.

• Featured image by Clément Alloing

Youssef Yahya

Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators, a platform dedicated to the aviation industry. With over 3 years of experience as an aviation writer, Youssef is passionate about sharing his insights on aviation, entrepreneurship, and the broader business landscape. As a Teaching Assistant in Entrepreneurship at Nile University, he also nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs. When he’s not exploring the skies or business ventures, you can find him saying, ‘Drag your coffee, and let’s talk aviation, entrepreneurship, and football.’

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