Delta TA - Airline Pilot Central Forums (2025)

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Is Delta experiencing a pilot shortage? ›

Delta to Slow Down Pilot Hiring in 2024

Delta said it will hire a little over 1,000 pilots in 2024, roughly half the amount it hired in 2023. Since the pandemic, airlines have hired tens of thousands of pilots to keep up with high travel demand and make up for an ongoing pilot shortage.

Company Pilot Career Path

Delta Propel offers a streamlined path to allow candidates to earn their flight certifications, build their experience, and meet all the requirements to become a Delta pilot. The path to become a Delta pilot can be challenging - let us support you every step of the way.

Pilot salaries in the US vary widely based on factors like experience, aircraft type, and airline. Pilots usually start at the regional level before moving to mainline, with salary increases over the years. Delta's captain salary can reach up to $404,000 annually, but some airlines offer higher pay rates.

Delta Air Lines will hire 1,100 pilots in 2024 to support growth and retirements, and anticipates this pace to continue through the remainder of the decade. Additionally, Delta's profit sharing in 2023 was more than all competitors combined.

In total, Delta has 539 participants currently in the Propel program, which is growing every year. We have been hiring more than 200 pilots per month this year and anticipate hiring to continue in support of our long-term goals.

The average pay for a pilot at Delta Air Lines in 2024 is $207,101 per year.

Pilot bases: Atlanta, Ga.; Detroit, Mich.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; New York City, N.Y.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Seattle, Wash. Headquarters: Atlanta, Ga. Operations: Delta operates 4,000 daily flights to more than 280 destinations on six continents.

However, some Southwest pilots earn as much as $549,000. Similarly, United Airlines pilots earn an average of $151,154. The average Delta Air Lines pilot earns $201,178 with top-earners making $526,000. American Airlines pilots earn an average salary of $145,995, with some pilots earning in excess of $700,000.

Airline pilots at Delta, American, and United can make more than $500K a year — here's how their pay compares. Recent pay raises have made commercial-airline pilots some of the highest-paid workers in the US. Three major airlines, American, Delta, and United, offer similar captain base pay of up to $447 an hour.

How many hours do Delta pilots work? ›

Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month and work an additional 150 hours per month performing other duties, such as checking weather conditions and preparing flight plans. Pilots have variable work schedules that may include some days of work followed by some days off.

Commercial Airline Pilot — A Ten Million Dollar Career

Established airline pilots are paid very well, with the annual earnings of senior captains around $400,000, some pilots can expect a ten million dollar career in total earnings, illustrated below according to the typical career progression.

U.S. active certificated pilots - average age 1993-2020

This statistic illustrates the average age of active pilots in the United States from 1993 through 2020. In 2020, the average age of U.S. pilots stood at 43.9 years, lower than in the previous year.

Flight training is a complex and demanding process that requires a combination of physical and mental skills. It can be challenging and surprising for those who are new to the experience! But the rewards are incredible, as Hanna describes in her video.

Aviation is a rewarding career that offers personal and career growth opportunities. A significant advantage of being a pilot is that you will earn a competitive salary and enjoy health benefits throughout your career.

The longer-term pilot supply outlook is uncertain. In October, consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimated a pilot shortfall across North America would persist for the next decade, with a 2032 shortfall of 13,000 pilots being similar to the shortage that exists today.

Delta Air Lines is cutting some corporate jobs in an effort to reduce costs as the industry grapples with higher expenses such as for fuel and labor.