Airlines hiring thousands of pilots to keep up demand

As the country moves away from the pandemic, more people are getting comfortable with flying, and airlines are looking to grow to keep up with demand.

On May 1, 2022, TSA reported nearly 2.3 million passengers compared to 1.6 million passengers last year on the same date.

In response, airlines are hiring thousands of pilots this year to keep up with the pace.

A spokesperson with United Airlines said they intend to hire 2,000 pilots this year, and roughly 10,000 by 2030. The airline also opened a new flight training academy to get more pilots qualified and ready to go. Their goal is also to increase recruitment efforts for more women and people of color.

American Airlines is also looking to hire about 2,000 pilots this year. Last year the airline had a goal to hire 350 pilots and hired more than 575.

This year, the goal is to hire 180 pilots a month. It’s already exceeded this by having hired nearly 800 pilots so far.