CAPTAIN YOUR CAREER
Aviate is United's industry-leading pilot career development program offering aspiring and established pilots the most direct path to a United flight deck.
Find your path
We believe the success of our airline depends on the success of each individual — so you can have your dream career and count on our support every step of the way.
A clear path to United
We intend to hire more than 10,000 pilots in the next decade and have the largest fleet of widebody aircraft in North America, offering you exciting opportunities to advance.
- A direct path. Aviate participants can transition to United as a First Officer upon successful completion of the Aviate program and hiring requirements
- Travel privileges. Aviate participants enjoy travel privileges to United destinations around the world
- Coaching. Aviate participants will have the opportunity to participate in a coaching program and receive mentorship from United pilots
- Culture. You'll gain deeper connections with our United team, with access to senior leadership, site visits and tours, and an inside look at our inclusive culture
Love to fly, born to lead
Find out what makes United a great place to fly.
Fleet & Network Cleared for takeoff
Work your way toward the career you want with an expansive fleet and network that offer unmatched opportunities for advancement.
The most widebody aircraft of any North American carrier
236 widebody aircraft
41 more than the next leading competitor
That means more United pilots enjoy our highest pay rates and best schedules.
The most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers
4,000 flights per day on average
335 airports served
60 countries around the world
We have nonstop or one-stop service from almost anywhere in the U.S., and our network grows each year. Plus, our participation in Star AllianceTM provides access to an even bigger, growing global network with 28 member carriers.
Bases & Flexibility Choose your own adventure
With hubs and crew bases in great cities across the U.S., and the ability to explore new opportunities for yourself and your future, you’ll find more ways to live the life you want at United.
Training & Innovation Above and beyond
From industry leadership to cutting-edge technologies to next-level training — we create the best pilots in the industry. Everyone at United delivers on our core4 service behaviors: Safe, Caring, Dependable and Efficient.
- Our unique pilot development program matches pilots of different experience levels, making it easy to share knowledge in a personalized way.
- Our Flight Training Center (FTC) in Denver is the world’s largest and the industry’s leading airline training facility.
- Over 20 other airlines and government agencies send their personnel to train at our FTC.
- Our FTC recently completed a $150 million renovation, which allows us to support more than 50,000 live training events per year.
Culture Of Connection Connections that matter
We take our Shared Purpose — Connecting people. Uniting the world. — seriously. The moments we share with our customers and our colleagues make United a special place to work and a great way to fly, together.
Awards we've won
Our initiatives
We invest in an inclusive culture where the best pilots and leaders want to work, with supportive business groups and game-changing diversity initiatives. We pride ourselves on creating a working environment with opportunities for everyone.
Our partnerships
Stories from our people
Industry Leadership Together, we soar
We take pride in our ability to continually thrive and grow. Count on us to be there for you for the long haul.
How we grow
We've added 120 new domestic routes and 22 new international routes to our network over the last two and a half years.
How we win
Best Frequent Flyer Bonus Program
Global Traveler®
Best Overall Frequent Flyer Program, 15th consecutive year
Global Traveler®
United Airlines App Crowned Best of the Best
Webby Awards
59th in the U.S. 500 Green ranking
Newsweek
Your flight deck is calling
Meet some of our current United and United Express pilots.
Aaron Grissum UAX pilot — currently in Aviate
When I’m not flying... I love spending time at home with family and volunteering my time by spreading the joy of aviation through various organizations.
My favorite route... I would have to say IAH (Houston) - DCA (Washington, D.C.) — two awesome cities — plus, who doesn’t love the visual 19 into DCA.
What’s your favorite part about flying for a UAX carrier? Customer interaction — whether flying a couple vacationing in Mexico or a business passenger into New York, everyone has a unique story. Being able to connect the world through air travel is my favorite part.
Lindsay Morgan Flight Manager First Officer
What advice do you have for applicants? Follow your dreams! You can do anything if you put your mind to it and work hard. And you don’t need to come from aviation. My father is a printing salesman and my mother is a dental hygienist. She would say, "Do something you love, because you’ll do it every day for the rest of your life."
What do you do when you‘re not flying? Our family loves to travel! We love to scuba dive and visit Grand Cayman yearly. Since Catherine was born, we are learning how to travel with a toddler and find new family-friendly destinations.
What’s your favorite part about flying for United? The culture. It’s like one big family! Management works very hard to care for their employees and make a large company feel like a small company.
Michael Morgen First Officer — B-737
What advice do you have for applicants? Show the best version of yourself and all you have to offer United. It helped me feel confident going in as prepared as possible.
What do you do when you’re not flying? Travel to see friends, family and the world. The greatest benefit of this career is the ability to travel the world. I’ve also taken up photography to document all the amazing places this airline can take you.
What’s your favorite part about flying for United? Every day I come to work excited that I get to work with a great group of pilots who are friends. The people and the healthy flight deck crew culture are what make flying at United so unique.
James J Batson UAX pilot — currently in Aviate
When I’m not flying... Through OBAP (Organization Of Black Aerospace Professionals), I love to volunteer by visiting schools and inspiring the future generation to dream big. I had help from numerous mentors, and it’s great to be a mentor and pay it forward.
My favorite route... Any route that has me flying into NYC. It’s such a beautiful city with a magnificent skyline. Seeing all the tall buildings never gets old. After landing, I love hearing the customer comments on how they enjoyed their flight experience.
What’s your favorite part about flying for a UAX carrier? Being able to deliver the same flight experience as mainline United. Our detail to safety, exceptional customer service and smooth flights, lead to satisfied customers. We aim to please.
Jarrod Ramsey Captain — A-320
What advice do you have for applicants? Persistence! Never stop learning and refining your skills. Highlight your leadership experience and what makes you unique. We know you can fly — tell us what will make you a great Captain and future leader at United.
What do you do when you’re not flying? Travel, of course! One of the great benefits of working for United is the ability to see the world. I also serve our country as a member of the Air National Guard as a KC-135 instructor pilot and Deputy Group Commander in Aircraft Maintenance.
What’s your favorite part about flying for United? Wide variety of flying — from flying domestically, to enjoying the Caribbean, to exploring Europe/Asia, United’s route structure takes you there. More importantly, our culture. United values its employees, and being part of an 90K+ team is a great feeling!
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Any questions?
Full details regarding Aviate eligibility and transition requirements can be found in the Aviate Program Guide (APG). For questions not covered in the APG, please provide your information and question in the space provided, and we’ll get back to you soon.
