How much does it cost to become a pilot? Nothing on an airline-sponsored flight training course!
Airline-sponsored flight training assists aspiring pilots with financing options.
When looking at how to become a pilot, everyone dreams of having their costly flight training paid for.
The good news is that some airlines will offer to pay for your flight training.
Some examples of this have been the British Airways and Virgin future pilot programs, which are not currently open at the time of writing (May 2023).
Sadly, due to the 1500-hour rule in America, these programs are more common in the UK/Europe than in America.
Although these schemes have been very rare in the past five years, they are starting to come back.
This is partly because airlines are struggling to get enough pilots, causing a global pilot shortage (though more apparent in America than in the UK/Europe).
The most recent example of this paid-for flight training is the Tui-sponsored MPL program for those based in the UK/Europe!
TUI is covering some of the lucky cadet’s training costs. Their flight training will be completely specific to TUI’s requirements.
After completing the flight training, these lucky cadets will be bonded with this airline for several years.
These lucky first officers will be required to pay if they leave the airline before the end of this bond period.
You are likely to receive a reduced starting salary to offset the cost of the flight training that the airline has provided you.
However, this is worth it, in my opinion, especially with the higher interest rates on loans we see now!
These courses are obviously massively in demand and very competitive. But ensure you get in early and give it your best shot if you are eligible for them.
When looking at how much does it cost to become a pilot, these airline-sponsored schemes are incredible!
