What is the minimum age to be a commercial pilot?

You can hold a commercial pilot certificate as young as 18 years old, but most airlines require applicants be at least 21 years old, which is a prerequisite for the Airline Transport Pilot certificate.



In 2026, the international standard for the minimum age to hold a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) remains 18 years old. At this age, a pilot can legally be compensated for flying, though they are usually restricted to roles such as flight instruction, crop dusting, or banner towing. To fly for a major scheduled airline as a First Officer, the requirements are more stringent; in the United States, you must be at least 21 years old to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which is mandatory for Part 121 air carrier operations. Most cadet programs, like those offered by airlines such as IndiGo or Lufthansa, allow students to begin training at 17 so they can earn their CPL exactly on their 18th birthday. While you can start young, the career path requires hundreds of hours of flight time and rigorous medical and psychological evaluations before a pilot is entrusted with a multi-million dollar jet and hundreds of passengers.

People Also Ask

Meet the age requirements 16 years of age to obtain your pilot certificate. 17 years old to earn a private pilot certificate. 18 years old to be eligible for a commercial pilot license. 23 years old to qualify for an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate.

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In the U.S., there are no FAA age limits for pilots except for commercial airline pilots employed by airlines certificated under 14 CFR Part 121.

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Annual Pilot Salary Range
How Much Do Pilots Make an Hour? » According to The May 2021 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary for commercial pilots is $99,640 per year. The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers is $202,180.

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The answer is no. While some airlines have an age requirement before you can fly a commercial flight, there's no age limit in wanting to become a pilot.

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Yes, airplane pilots can wear glasses. (And many do.) If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you can still become a commercial, private, or military pilot. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the military have certain minimum standards for prospective pilots.

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Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots. Unfortunately, pilots sometimes fail to disclose ADHD to their Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).

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As of Sep 22, 2023, the average annual pay for the Boeing 747 Pilot jobs category in Staten Island is $100,515 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $48.32 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,932/week or $8,376/month.

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In 2023 we have seen increased recruitment across a large portion of UK and European airlines. This recruitment need is predominantly being met by experienced pilots, however we are delighted to see a proportion of those jobs being filled by pilots who have not previously held a commercial flying position.

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As a rough guide, you can expect to make between £40,000 – £60,000 in your first year as a pilot in the UK. For example, a 'second officer' at Easyjet will receive roughly £47,000 yearly, not including flight pay. You can expect to fly between 700-900 hours per year.

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Currently, while the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards allow a person between the age of 60 and 65 to serve as pilot in command (PIC) of an airplane with two or more pilots, in international commercial air transport operations, the PIC must be paired with a pilot younger than 60 years of age.

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Smith explained that after the global financial crisis pensions went away for airline pilots, but a non-elective contribution was added to their 401(k) plans. This non-elective contribution is now around 17% of their income (for the major airlines) added to the 401(k) plan for every pilot, he noted.

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Pilot? It takes two months to become a pilot and earn your private pilot license. To become an airline pilot, it takes two years to gain the required 1,500 hours flight time.

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