USA – U.S. airline pilot hiring data through October 2025 indicates a clear rebalancing of the pilot labor market, marking a shift away from the exceptional post-COVID hiring surge toward a more concentrated, capacity-driven hiring environment.

After the historic hiring wave between 2021 and 2023, total U.S. airline pilot hiring has consolidated meaningfully in 2025, with industry-wide hiring projected at approximately 4,248 pilots, down around 13% year-over-year from 4,834 pilots in 2024, based on an average of 354 pilots hired per month.
Several carriers, including Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit, Atlas Air, FedEx, and Allegiant, have effectively paused or ceased new-hire pilot classes during 2025.
Southwest Airlines continues to hire, but at a significantly reduced pace compared to recent years.
American Airlines and United Airlines now account for approximately 72% of all U.S. airline pilot hiring in 2025, with recruitment primarily driven by aircraft deliveries and attrition replacement rather than network expansion.
Legacy carriers have absorbed large numbers of experienced Spirit Airlines pilots, reflecting selective hiring by financially stable operators rather than broad-based market demand.
Hawaiian Airlines conducted targeted hiring linked to Boeing 787 deliveries and the introduction of additional red-eye operations, while Alaska Airlines hiring data for the period appears incomplete.
Cargo operators have largely halted pilot hiring in the absence of confirmed fleet expansion.

Source: Rick Brown (Aviation Analyst)

U.S. Airline 2025 Pilot Hiring Down 13 Percent Compared to 2024

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