Frequently asked questions

Aviate is United’s pilot career development program, providing the most secure and direct path to being a United First Officer.

To become a program participant, you’ll apply, and if selected have your one and only interview with United. After the interview and upon acceptance, you’ll receive a conditional job offer as a United First Officer. You’ll then be expected to build experience before flying at one of our Aviate United Express carriers or Part 135 operating partners so that once you’ve met your transition requirements, you can join United as a First Officer.

During the program experience, participants also gain exclusive access to resources, events, travel privileges, mentorship from an active United pilot and so much more.

The main benefit of joining Aviate is that it’s the most secure path to a United flight deck. Being an Aviate participant sets you up for success with benefits that are unique to our pilot career development program.

Program benefits include:

• Your one and only interview with United
• Receiving a Conditional Job Offer (CJO) as a United First Officer upon acceptance to the program
• Coaching (mentorship) from a United pilot
• My Aviate, the industry-first mobile app for participants to track progress
• Exclusive participant events and networking opportunities
• Prioritization for interviews at Aviate-participating United Express Carriers and Part 135 operators
• Travel privileges – Aviate participants can enjoy access to United destinations around the world

Nothing. Aviate is a free program for established and aspiring pilots. However, Aviate participants are still responsible for the cost of their training. Scholarships may be available via aviation professional organization, university or flight school partners.

After reviewing the requirements and exploring the entry points, you’ll submit an application. You’ll then have your one and only interview with United Airlines, and upon acceptance, receive a conditional job offer as a United First Officer. You will then build experience before flying at one of our Aviate United Express or Part 135 partners to meet requirements before ultimately transitioning to United as a First Officer. For more information on eligibility requirements, check out our eligibility chart.

There are many ways to join the Aviate program depending on where you’re at in your personal pilot journey. We have a network of 34+ partners spanning every entry point such as universities, flight schools (including United Aviate Academy), Part 135 operators, United Express carriers and a family program for United employees, dependents and interns.

The requirements to join Aviate can vary by entry points; however, every candidate must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Hold a minimum of a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating
• Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Have trained at or been employed by one of Aviate’s university, flight school, Part 135 or United Express partners
• Hold a valid FAA medical certificate that was originally issued as a first- or second-class medical certificate
• Have no more than three (3) total checkride failures, inclusive of both Primary Training failure and Certified Regulatory Checkride failures
• Must have legal right to work in the United States without sponsorship
• Must be able to travel freely within the United States and without restriction to all destinations United serves

If your application is selected, the process will consist of a panel interview at our Flight Training Center in Denver, Colorado. This will include behavioral-based questions, and a pilot-led technical portion tailored to your highest rating held. All you need to do to prepare is bring your experience, stellar personality and excitement to join Aviate!

Note: Aviate is a competitive program, and in some instances, it may take up to several months to hear back from us. If you do not hear back right away, your application will remain on file.

While Aviate is the most secure path to our flight deck, it isn’t the only way to become a pilot at United. You also do not have to attend United Aviate Academy to become a pilot at United.

We have options available for military pilots and experienced pilots, so you can reach your dreams at United even if you don’t go through the Aviate program. To learn more about the other paths you can take to become a United pilot, check out the United Pilot Careers page.

The journey through Aviate can differ based on when you join the program. After you join from the university or flight school entry point, you’ll continue flying and building experience prior to gaining employment with a United Express or Part 135 operator partner. If you already have some flight experience, continuing to build your hours would be your focus before flying for UAX or Part 135. Regardless of when you join, all entry points have the same transition requirements to join United as a First Officer.

The length of your Aviate journey is dependent on different factors, primarily being how quickly you build experience from where you start in your journey. Aviate is the most secure path to reaching United as soon as you complete your requirements because it is based on a defined threshold, making the time it takes to transition to United completely up to you. For more information on transition requirements, check out the Aviate Program Guide(APG).

Participants are required to complete 1,200 or 1,600 hours as a Captain, depending on your Aviate entry point, at an Aviate-participating UAX carrier or Part 135 operator. All transition requirements can be found in Chapter 5 of the Aviate Program Guide (APG). In addition, all participants must meet the Performance Standards outlined in Chapter 4 of the APG. Those standards are reviewed by the Transition Board of Review (TBOR) prior to approving anyone for a United First Officer class date.

No. The only career path to a First Officer role at United for pilots currently flying for an Aviate-participating United Express carrier is via the Aviate program.

Yes, but you must meet the criteria in Chapter 4, Section C of the APG to transfer from one Aviate UAX carrier to another while in the program.

Aviate and United Aviate Academy are not the same and we’ve broken down the differences for you below:

• Aviate is United’s industry-leading pilot career development program. Through this program you can access multiple entry points towards becoming a pilot at United.
• United Aviate Academy (UAA) is United’s wholly owned flight school, located in Goodyear, Arizona. It is one of Aviate’s partner flight schools. UAA students become Aviate program participants upon receiving their Commercial Pilot License with Instrument Rating and will continue through the program like all of our participants.

No. United Aviate Academy is one of our partner flight schools. You are not required to apply for, or attend, United Aviate Academy to be a part of Aviate. We have many flight school partners for you to choose from so you can build experience at whichever suits you best.