bestpilotjobs dataset · updated monthly
Pilot Hiring Index
What airlines are actually asking for, measured from every pilot vacancy published on bestpilotjobs. Minimum flight hours by role and region, type-rating requirements, licence authorities, aircraft demand, and per-operator hiring history. Nothing here is estimated — the index reports what employers stated in their own listings.
Data as of · 413 vacancies analysed since 26 May 2026
Median Captain minimum
3,500 hrs TT
Median First Officer minimum
1,500 hrs TT
Require a type rating
48%
Most requested authority
EASA
What minimum flight hours do airlines require?
Across 413 vacancies, the median stated minimum for a Captain is 3,500 hours total time and for a First Officer 1,500 hours. The spread between regions is wide: MENA publishes the highest Captain median at 5,000 hours, Pacific the lowest at 2,000. Medians are taken across listings, not across operators, so an airline advertising frequently carries more weight.
| Region | Captain median | First Officer median | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 3,000 | 700 | 159 |
| USA & Canada | 3,000 | 1,500 | 98 |
| Asia | 4,000 | 1,500 | 58 |
| MENA | 5,000 | 1,500 | 37 |
| Africa | 3,500 | 1,150 | 28 |
| Pacific | 2,000 | 750 | 15 |
| Latin America | 3,000 | 500 | 13 |
| CIS | 3,000 | 2,000 | 5 |
Captain medians from 218 listings, First Officer medians from 175 listings. Figures in hours of total time.
How many vacancies require a type rating?
48% of vacancies require a current type rating on the advertised aircraft at the point of application. The remaining 52% are open to non type-rated pilots, typically where the operator funds or bonds the rating. Based on 413 listings with a recorded rating requirement.
Current rating on type required at application
Open to non type-rated pilots
If you hold a rating on a widely operated type, the rated share of the market is open to you immediately. If you do not, the non type-rated share is where to concentrate — see the type rating guides for what each rating costs and how long it takes.
Which aircraft types are most in demand?
Ranked by number of vacancies published. A320/321 leads at 22% of every vacancy that named a type — demand concentrates in the large narrowbody families, where the biggest fleets and the highest crew turnover sit. The twenty most advertised types are listed individually; everything below that is grouped into Other so the shares account for the whole market rather than only the visible part.
| Aircraft | Vacancies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A320/321 | 90 | 22% |
| B737NG | 42 | 10% |
| ATR-72 | 23 | 6% |
| A330 | 14 | 3% |
| E-Jet | 12 | 3% |
| Global Express | 10 | 2% |
| King Air | 9 | 2% |
| A220 | 8 | 2% |
| PC-12 | 8 | 2% |
| B777 | 8 | 2% |
| B737 MAX | 8 | 2% |
| Beech 1900 | 7 | 2% |
| B767 | 7 | 2% |
| C208 | 7 | 2% |
| Q400 | 6 | 1% |
| CRJ | 5 | 1% |
| CL-605 | 5 | 1% |
| Citation XLS | 5 | 1% |
| B747-400 | 5 | 1% |
| DHC-6 | 5 | 1% |
| Other — 68 further types | 127 | 32% |
| All types — 88 in total | 411 | 100% |
Share is of the 411 vacancies that named an aircraft type (2 of 413 listings did not). Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number and the Other row absorbs the rounding, so the column sums to exactly 100%.
Which licence authorities do airlines ask for?
Counted across all vacancies; a single listing may accept more than one authority, so the totals exceed the number of vacancies. If your licence is not on this list, the licence conversion guide covers the main routes between authorities.
| Authority | Vacancies accepting |
|---|---|
| EASA | 176 |
| FAA | 116 |
| ICAO | 109 |
| UK CAA | 42 |
| TCCA | 27 |
| CASA | 11 |
| GCAA UAE | 9 |
| DGCA India | 6 |
| SACAA | 6 |
| DGCA-IN | 6 |
| NCAA | 5 |
| NZCAA | 3 |
| GACA | 3 |
| SHGM | 2 |
| UAEAC | 2 |
| FAVT | 2 |
| AFAC | 2 |
| CAAV | 2 |
| JCAB | 1 |
| DGCA-ID | 1 |
Which operators are hiring, and what do they ask for?
One row per distinct requirement, not per operator: a carrier hiring on two aircraft, or hiring Captains and First Officers separately, appears once for each. The minimum shown is the figure that operator actually stated for that specific aircraft and role — never an average across unrelated positions. Where repeat listings for the same combination stated different minimums, the range is shown. Rows are grouped by operator, most active first, and each operator name links through to its profile and current vacancies.
How to read this table
Operators are ordered by adverts placed here, not by pilots hired. A single listing may cover one seat or several hundred, and a carrier running a continuous intake through its own careers portal may place very few adverts on any job board — or none at all. A large flag carrier can therefore sit below a small operator that advertises each seat individually. Read the order as a record of what was advertised on bestpilotjobs, not as a measure of any airline's total recruitment.
| Operator | Aircraft | Role | Min TT | Rating | Last posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargojet → Canada |
B757 | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Cargojet | B767 | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Cargojet | B767 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Cargojet | B757 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Jet2 → United Kingdom |
B737NG | Captain | 2,000–3,000 | TR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Jet2 | A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Jet2 | A320/321 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Airnorth → Australia |
E-Jet | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 31 Aug 26 |
| Airnorth | E-Jet | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 31 Aug 26 |
| Airnorth | EMB-120 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 31 Aug 26 |
| Airnorth | EMB-120 | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 31 Aug 26 |
| Compass Cargo Airlines → Bulgaria |
B747-400 | Captain | 6,000 | TR | 31 Jul 26 |
| Compass Cargo Airlines | B747-400 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 31 Jul 26 |
| Compass Cargo Airlines | B737NG | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 31 Jul 26 |
| Compass Cargo Airlines | B737NG | First Officer | 500 | TR | 31 Jul 26 |
| Elit Avia → Malta |
A319 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Elit Avia | CL-605 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Elit Avia | G650 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Elit Avia | G650 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Executive Jet Management → United States |
Falcon 2000 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Executive Jet Management | Global 7500 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Executive Jet Management | A-10 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Executive Jet Management | Falcon 7X | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Global Jet → Spain |
Global Express | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Global Jet | Global 7500 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Global Jet | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Global Jet | Global Express | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 28 Jul 26 |
| Hello Jets → Romania |
B737NG | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 19 Jul 26 |
| Hello Jets | A320/321 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 19 Jul 26 |
| Hello Jets | B737NG | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 19 Jul 26 |
| Hello Jets | A320/321 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 26 Jun 26 |
| Indigo → India |
ATR-72 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 15 Sept 26 |
| Indigo | A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 15 Sept 26 |
| Indigo | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 15 Sept 26 |
| Indigo | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 15 Sept 26 |
| TAG Aviation → United States |
Global Express | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| TAG Aviation | Global Express | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| TAG Aviation | Global 5500 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| TAG Aviation | Global 5500 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| Westair Aviation → South Africa |
F406 | First Officer | 800 | NTR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Westair Aviation | F406 | Captain | 1,000 | NTR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Westair Aviation | Beech 1900 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Westair Aviation | Beech 1900 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Wing Aviation → United States |
G400/G450 | First Officer | 2,500 | NTR | 28 Sept 26 |
| Wing Aviation | GV | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 28 Sept 26 |
| Wing Aviation | GIV | First Officer | 2,500 | TR | 28 Sept 26 |
| Wing Aviation | G400/G450 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 28 Sept 26 |
| Wizz Air → Malta |
A320/321 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 15 Sept 26 |
| Wizz Air | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Sept 26 |
| ACI Jet → United States |
CL-605 | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 03 Oct 26 |
| ACI Jet | Global 8000 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Aegean Airlines → Greece |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Aegean Airlines | A320/321 | First Officer | — | NTR | 27 Jun 26 |
| Aegean Airlines | ATR-72 | First Officer | 70 | NTR | 17 Jun 26 |
| Air Arabia → Saudi Arabia |
A320/321 | First Officer | 4,000 | NTR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Air Arabia | A320/321 | First Officer | 4,000 | TR | 07 Jun 26 |
| Air Arabia | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 07 Jun 26 |
| Air India Express → India |
B737NG | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 09 Oct 26 |
| Air India Express | B737NG | First Officer | 500 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Air India Express | A320/321 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Air Serbia → Serbia |
ATR-72 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Air Serbia | E-Jet | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 23 Jul 26 |
| Air Serbia | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 25 Jun 26 |
| Alaska Airlines → United States |
B737NG | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 16 Oct 26 |
| Ameriflight → United States |
Beech 1900 | Captain | 1,800 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Ameriflight | EMB-120 | Instructor | 3,000 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Bulgaria Air → Bulgaria |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Bulgaria Air | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Bulgaria Air | A220 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Buzz → Poland |
B737NG | Captain | — | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Buzz | B737NG | First Officer | 700 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Buzz | B737NG | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 17 Jun 26 |
| Contour Aviation → United States |
Citation XLS | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 12 Oct 26 |
| Contour Aviation | Legacy 600 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Contour Aviation | ERJ-145 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Danish Air Transport → Denmark |
ATR-72 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 03 Sept 26 |
| Danish Air Transport | A320/321 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 03 Sept 26 |
| Danish Air Transport | A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 02 Sept 26 |
| DHL → Bahrain |
B767 | First Officer | 500–1,500 | NTR | 16 Sept 26 |
| DHL | ATR-42 | First Officer | 250 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| easyJet → Morocco |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 02 Sept 26 |
| easyJet | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Ethiopian Airlines → Ethiopia |
B737NG | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 08 Jun 26 |
| Ethiopian Airlines | B777 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 08 Jun 26 |
| Ethiopian Airlines | A350 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 04 Jun 26 |
| EVA Air → Taiwan |
B777 | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 02 Jul 26 |
| EVA Air | A320/321 | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 02 Jul 26 |
| EVA Air | B787 | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 02 Jul 26 |
| Executive Wings → Thailand |
Falcon 2000 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Executive Wings | King Air | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 09 Sept 26 |
| Executive Wings | Hawker 850XP | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 09 Sept 26 |
| Falcon Aviation → UAE |
Q400 | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Falcon Aviation | Q400 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Falcon Aviation | CL-605 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Jet Linx → United States |
G200 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Jet Linx | GV | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Jet Linx | Citation XLS | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| K5 Aviation → Germany |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 07 Oct 26 |
| K5 Aviation | Global 7500 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Korean Air → South Korea |
B777 | Captain | 7,000 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Korean Air | B787 | Captain | 7,000 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Korean Air | A330 | Captain | 7,000 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Lufthansa City Airlines → Germany |
A220 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 07 Jul 26 |
| Lufthansa City Airlines | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 07 Jul 26 |
| Lufthansa City Airlines | A220 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 09 Jun 26 |
| National Jet Systems → Australia |
A220 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Porter Airlines → Canada |
E-Jet E2 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 01 Sept 26 |
| Porter Airlines | E-Jet E2 | Captain | 4,500 | NTR | 01 Sept 26 |
| Porter Airlines | Q400 | Captain | 2,500 | TR | 01 Sept 26 |
| RwandAir → Rwanda |
A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| RwandAir | B737NG | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| RwandAir | Q400 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| Aerostan → Kyrgyzstan |
B747 Classic | First Officer | 3,000 | NTR | 21 Oct 26 |
| Aerostan | B747 Classic | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 21 Oct 26 |
| Aerowest → Germany |
Citation XLS | First Officer | 500 | TR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Aerowest | Citation XLS | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Air Cambodia → Cambodia |
C909 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 07 Sept 26 |
| Air Cambodia | C909 | Captain | 6,000 | NTR | 07 Sept 26 |
| Air India → India |
A320/321 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 09 Jul 26 |
| Air India | A320/321 | First Officer | 750 | TR | 09 Jul 26 |
| Air Macau → Macau |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Air Macau | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Airblue → Pakistan |
A320/321 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 09 Jul 26 |
| Airblue | A320/321 | First Officer | — | TR | 09 Jul 26 |
| Airfast Indonesia → Indonesia |
B737 MAX | First Officer | 3,000 | NTR | 22 Sept 26 |
| Airfast Indonesia | DHC-6 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 05 Aug 26 |
| Airlink → South Africa |
E-Jet | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Airlink | E-Jet | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Arajet → Dominican Republic |
B737 MAX | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Arajet | B737 MAX | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 02 Jul 26 |
| Asky Airlines → Togo |
B737NG | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 11 Sept 26 |
| Asky Airlines | B737NG | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 11 Sept 26 |
| Aurigny → Guernsey |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Aurigny | ATR-72 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Aurora Jet Partners → Canada |
CL-3500 | Captain | 4,500 | NTR | 02 Oct 26 |
| Aurora Jet Partners | CL-300 | Captain | 4,500 | NTR | 01 Oct 26 |
| Avelo → United States |
B737NG | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Avelo | B737NG | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 03 Jul 26 |
| Axis Aviation → Qatar |
Global Express | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Axis Aviation | Global 8000 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 26 Jul 26 |
| BA CityFlyer → United Kingdom |
E-Jet | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Baykar Technologies → Turkey |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 10 Aug 26 |
| Baykar Technologies | A320/321 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 10 Aug 26 |
| BeOnd → Maldives |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| BeOnd | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Binter Canarias → Spain |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 09 Sept 26 |
| Binter Canarias | ATR-72 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 25 Aug 26 |
| Bookajet → United Kingdom |
HondaJet | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Bookajet | HondaJet | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| CemAir → South Africa |
Beech 1900 | First Officer | 800 | NTR | 11 Oct 26 |
| CemAir | Beech 1900 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 11 Oct 26 |
| Chair Airlines → Switzerland |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Chair Airlines | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| DAL Aviation → Switzerland |
Falcon 50 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| DAL Aviation | Falcon 50 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Discover Airlines → Germany |
A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 09 Jun 26 |
| Discover Airlines | A320/321 | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 09 Jun 26 |
| DragonFly Executive Air Charter → United Kingdom |
King Air | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 23 Sept 26 |
| DragonFly Executive Air Charter | Citation II | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Eastern Airlines → United States |
B777 | Captain | 7,000 | NTR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Eastern Airlines | B767 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Emirates → UAE |
B777 | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 02 Sept 26 |
| Emirates | A380 | Captain | 7,000 | NTR | 26 May 26 |
| FAI → Germany |
Learjet 60 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 19 Jul 26 |
| FAI | Global Express | First Officer | 500 | TR | 19 Jul 26 |
| Fly Jinnah → Pakistan |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Fly Jinnah | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 12 Jun 26 |
| Fly4 Airlines → Ireland |
B737NG | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 14 Oct 26 |
| Fly4 Airlines | B737NG | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 14 Oct 26 |
| flydubai → UAE |
B737 MAX | First Officer | 2,500 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| flydubai | B737 MAX | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| FTE Jerez → Spain |
B737NG | Instructor | — | NTR | 28 Sept 26 |
| FTE Jerez | DA42 | Instructor | 500 | NTR | 16 Aug 26 |
| Gama Aviation → Switzerland |
Falcon 2000 | Captain | 6,000 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Gama Aviation | G650 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Global Airways → Lithuania |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 16 Jun 26 |
| Global Airways | A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 16 Jun 26 |
| GlobalX Air → United States |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| GlobalX Air | A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 16 Sept 26 |
| Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes → Brazil |
B737NG | Captain | 500 | NTR | 13 Sept 26 |
| Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes | A330 | Captain | 2,500 | TR | 13 Sept 26 |
| Gulf Air → Bahrain |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 17 Oct 26 |
| Heron Aviation → Germany |
PC-12 | Captain | 2,000 | TR | 28 Jul 26 |
| Heron Aviation | PC-24 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 28 Jul 26 |
| Hong Kong Air Cargo → Hong Kong |
A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 27 Jun 26 |
| Hong Kong Air Cargo | A330 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 27 Jun 26 |
| HongKong Jet → Hong Kong |
G500/G550 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 08 Jun 26 |
| HongKong Jet | Global Express | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 05 Jun 26 |
| Hyperion Aviation → Malta |
Global Express | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 02 Oct 26 |
| Hyperion Aviation | Global 6500 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 02 Oct 26 |
| Ibom Air → Nigeria |
CRJ | First Officer | 500 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Ibom Air | CRJ | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Jet Aviation → Singapore |
Falcon 7X | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Jet Aviation | Global 6000 | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 07 Jul 26 |
| Jordan Aviation → Jordan |
B767 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Jordan Aviation | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| KM Malta Airlines → Malta |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| KM Malta Airlines | A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Loganair → United Kingdom |
ATR-42 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Loganair | ERJ-145 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 21 Sept 26 |
| LOT Polish Airlines → Poland |
A220 | First Officer | 200 | TR | 24 Sept 26 |
| LOT Polish Airlines | A220 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 24 Sept 26 |
| Metrea → Netherlands |
King Air | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 14 Sept 26 |
| Metrea | B707 | Captain | 1,000 | TR | 14 Sept 26 |
| Morningstar Air Express → Canada |
C208 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Morningstar Air Express | ATR-72 | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Mountain Air Cargo → United States |
C408 | Captain | 1,800 | NTR | 11 Oct 26 |
| Mountain Air Cargo | ATR-72 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 11 Oct 26 |
| Neos → Italy |
B787 | First Officer | 2,500 | NTR | 01 Oct 26 |
| Neos | B737NG | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 26 Jun 26 |
| Nile Air → Egypt |
A320/321 | First Officer | 3,700 | TR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Nile Air | A320/321 | Captain | 3,700 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| Nordic Regional Airlines → Finland |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Nordic Regional Airlines | ATR-72 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| NovaJet Aviation Group → Canada |
CL-3500 | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 05 Oct 26 |
| NovaJet Aviation Group | Falcon 900EX | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Omega Aerial Refueling Services → United States |
B707 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 19 Aug 26 |
| Omega Aerial Refueling Services | DC-10 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 19 Aug 26 |
| Ornge → Canada |
PC-12 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Ornge | PC-12 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 03 Oct 26 |
| Qatar Airways → Qatar |
— | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Qatar Airways | Global Express | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| RAF-Avia → Latvia |
Saab 340 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| RAF-Avia | Saab 340 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Rise Air → Canada |
PC-12 | First Officer | 250 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Rise Air | ATR-72 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 20 Oct 26 |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines → United Kingdom |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 15 Jul 26 |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 25 Jun 26 |
| Seair Seaplanes → Canada |
DHC-2 Beaver | Captain | 1,000 | NTR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Seair Seaplanes | C208 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 12 Sept 26 |
| Smartwings → Czech Republic |
B737NG | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Smartwings | B737NG | First Officer | 200 | NTR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Spree Flug → Germany |
Phenom | First Officer | 500 | TR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Spree Flug | CitationJet | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 22 Sept 26 |
| Sun PhuQuoc Airways → Vietnam |
A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 06 Oct 26 |
| Sun PhuQuoc Airways | A330 | Captain | 4,500 | TR | 06 Oct 26 |
| Swiftair → Spain |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 350 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Swiftair | ATR-72 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Texel Air → Bahrain |
B737NG | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Texel Air | B737NG | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Tigerair Taiwan → Taiwan |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Tigerair Taiwan | A320/321 | First Officer | 800 | NTR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Trans Maldivian Airways → Maldives |
DHC-6 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 30 Jul 26 |
| Trans Maldivian Airways | DHC-6 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 30 Jul 26 |
| Uzbekistan Airways → Uzbekistan |
A320/321 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Uzbekistan Airways | A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Vietravel Airlines → Vietnam |
A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| Vietravel Airlines | A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 03 Aug 26 |
| Virgin Atlantic → United Kingdom |
A350 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Virgin Atlantic | A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Vista America → United States |
CL-300 | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 01 Oct 26 |
| Vista America | Global 6000 | First Officer | 2,500 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Volaris → Mexico |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 06 Oct 26 |
| Volaris | A320/321 | First Officer | 220 | NTR | 05 Oct 26 |
| West Atlantic → United Kingdom |
B737NG | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 02 Oct 26 |
| WestJet → Canada |
Q400 | First Officer | 750 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| WestJet | B737NG | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 04 Jul 26 |
| XEJet → Nigeria |
CRJ | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| XEJet | CRJ 1000 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Zebu Air → Malawi |
L-410 | First Officer | 1,300 | NTR | 07 Sept 26 |
| Zebu Air | L-410 | Captain | 2,500 | TR | 07 Sept 26 |
| Zeusch Aviation → Netherlands |
King Air | First Officer | 200 | TR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Zeusch Aviation | King Air | Captain | 700 | TR | 27 Sept 26 |
| 2Excel Aviation → United Kingdom |
King Air | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| AB Jets → United States |
CL-300 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 27 Sept 26 |
| ABX Air → United States. |
B767 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 14 Sept 26 |
| ACM Air Charter → Germany |
Global 7500 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Aero → United States |
GIV | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Aeroitalia → Italy |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 26 Jun 26 |
| Aerologic → Germany |
B777 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 09 Jun 26 |
| Africa World Airlines → Ghana |
ERJ-145 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 19 Aug 26 |
| Air Belgium → Belgium |
B747-8 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 01 Sept 26 |
| Air Dolomiti → Italy |
E-Jet | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 25 Jun 26 |
| Air Europa → Spain |
B737 MAX | First Officer | 750 | TR | 05 Oct 26 |
| Air France HOP → France |
E-Jet | First Officer | 100 | NTR | 23 Jun 26 |
| Air Hong Kong → Hong Kong |
A330 | First Officer | 3,000 | NTR | 30 Jun 26 |
| Air New Zealand → New Zealand |
Dash 8 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 01 Sept 26 |
| Air Senegal → Senegal |
ATR-72 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 24 Aug 26 |
| Air Transat → Canada |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 31 Aug 26 |
| Airbus → South Korea |
A320/321 | Instructor | 3,500 | TR | 09 Jul 26 |
| Aircalin → New Caledonia |
A330 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 04 Jul 26 |
| Airtask Group → United Kingdom |
Dash 8 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 04 Oct 26 |
| AIRTEC → Colombia |
Dash 8 | Captain | 500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| AirX → Malta |
A340 | First Officer | 2,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| AIS Airlines → Netherlands |
J32 | First Officer | — | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Akasa Air → India |
B737 MAX | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 15 Sept 26 |
| Alpine Air Express → United States |
Beech 1900 | Captain | 1,200 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| American Express → United States |
G650 | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 20 Aug 26 |
| Andorra Aviation Academy → Andorra |
SR-20/22 | Instructor | 1,000 | NTR | 14 Sept 26 |
| Aquarius AFF → Luxembourg |
AT-802 | Captain | 750 | NTR | 20 Aug 26 |
| ASL Group → Belgium |
ERJ-145 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 30 Sept 26 |
| Astonjet → France |
Citation Latitude | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 23 Sept 26 |
| Azul Conecta → Brazil |
C208 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 25 Aug 26 |
| Batik Air → Malaysia |
A330 | Captain | 6,000 | TR | 14 Jul 26 |
| Boeing → United Kingdom |
B737NG | Instructor | 1,500 | TR | 19 Aug 26 |
| Braathens → Sweden |
ATR-72 | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 01 Sept 26 |
| British Airways → United Kingdom |
A320/321 | First Officer | 700 | TR | 11 Oct 26 |
| Brussels Airlines → Belgium |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 14 Oct 26 |
| Canadian North → Canada |
ATR-42 | First Officer | 750 | NTR | 30 May 26 |
| Cape Air → United States |
C402 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 28 Sept 26 |
| Cardinal Point LLC → Germany |
F-16 | Instructor | 500 | TR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Cargolux → Luxembourg |
B747-400 | First Officer | 2,500 | NTR | 09 Jun 26 |
| Caribbean Airlines → Trinidad and Tobago |
ATR-72 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 29 May 26 |
| Cathay Pacific → Hong Kong |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 23 Jun 26 |
| CMA CGM Air Cargo → France |
B777 | First Officer | 3,000 | TR | 15 Oct 26 |
| Colorado DNR → United States |
C185 | Captain | 1,000 | NTR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Comlux → UAE |
Global 6500 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 15 Oct 26 |
| Conair → Canada |
AT-802 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 20 Aug 26 |
| Copa Airlines → Panama |
B737 MAX | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 29 May 26 |
| DEA → United Kingdom |
DA42 | Captain | 480 | NTR | 01 Aug 26 |
| Delaware Resource Group → United States |
F-35 | Instructor | 1,000 | TR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Draken → United Kingdom |
BN-2 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 18 Aug 26 |
| EagleMed LLC → United States |
King Air | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| EASP Air → Netherlands |
Do328 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 20 Aug 26 |
| Eastern Kentucky University → United States |
C172 | Instructor | 200 | NTR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Eclair → Czech Republic |
HondaJet | Captain | 1,800 | NTR | 17 Aug 26 |
| Edelweiss → Switzerland |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,800 | TR | 16 Jun 26 |
| Elevate Jet → United States |
CL-605 | Captain | 3,500 | TR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Emerald Airlines → Ireland |
ATR-72 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 26 Jul 26 |
| Emirates Flight Training Academy → UAE |
SR-20/22 | Instructor | 700 | NTR | 04 Aug 26 |
| Empire Airlines → United States |
ATR-72 | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| EVA Flight Training Academy → United States |
DA42 | Instructor | 500 | NTR | 29 Jul 26 |
| Fly Tyrol → Austria |
CitationJet | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| flyadeal → Saudi Arabia |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 30 May 26 |
| Frontier Airlines → United States |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 23 Aug 26 |
| German Airways → Germany |
E-Jet | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 27 Jul 26 |
| GMRE → United States |
C-130 | Captain | 700 | TR | 18 Aug 26 |
| Goldwings Flight Academy → Poland |
PC-12 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 27 Jul 26 |
| Google → United States |
G500/G550 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 19 Aug 26 |
| Greater Bay Airlines → Hong Kong |
B737NG | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 27 Sept 26 |
| Green Africa Airways → Nigeria |
ATR-72 | Captain | 6,000 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Helvetic Airways → Switzerland |
E-Jet | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 24 Jul 26 |
| Heston Airlines → Lithuania |
A320/321 | First Officer | 700 | TR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Hi Fly → Portugal |
A330 | First Officer | 200 | NTR | 29 Sept 26 |
| HK Express → Hong Kong |
A320/321 | First Officer | 250 | NTR | 05 Aug 26 |
| Illinois Aviation Academy → United States |
C172 | Instructor | 500 | NTR | 01 Oct 26 |
| Isles of Scilly Skybus → United Kingdom |
DHC-6 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| JD Irving → Canada |
AT-802 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 15 Oct 26 |
| jetBlue → United States |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Jetconnect → New Zealand |
B737NG | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 26 Jun 26 |
| JetForTrip → Czech Republic |
PC-12 | Captain | 700 | NTR | 06 Oct 26 |
| JetSmart → Colombia |
A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 14 Sept 26 |
| Jetstar Airways → Japan |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 28 May 26 |
| Jett Aircraft → United States |
Learjet 45 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 02 Sept 26 |
| Jettime → Denmark |
B737NG | First Officer | 500 | TR | 09 Sept 26 |
| JPATS - USMS → United States |
B737 Classic | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 15 Oct 26 |
| Kenn Borek Air → Canada |
DC-3 | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 03 Sept 26 |
| L3Harris Technologies → United States |
B757 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| La Compagnie → France |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 07 Oct 26 |
| Lauda Europe → Croatia |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,200 | TR | 04 Sept 26 |
| Luxair → Luxembourg |
B737NG | First Officer | 2,000 | NTR | 23 Jun 26 |
| Luxaviation → UAE |
Lineage 1000 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 09 Sept 26 |
| M&N Aviation → United States |
Hawker 850XP | Captain | 1,500 | TR | 16 Sept 26 |
| Marabu Airlines → Germany |
A320/321 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 21 Sept 26 |
| Marathon Airlines → Greece |
E-Jet | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 04 Jul 26 |
| MEHAIR → India |
C208 | Captain | 500 | NTR | 05 Aug 26 |
| Mission Aviation Fellowship → Papua New Guinea |
C208 | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 04 Aug 26 |
| National Airlines → United States |
B777 | Captain | 5,000 | NTR | 28 May 26 |
| Noble Air Charter → United States |
Citation I | Captain | 500 | TR | 16 Sept 26 |
| Norse Atlantic Airways → United Kingdom |
B787 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 26 Jun 26 |
| Northern Jet → United States |
Citation XLS | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 21 Oct 26 |
| Norwegian → Norway |
B737NG | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 26 Jun 26 |
| OpenSky → Japan |
PC-12 | Captain | 800 | NTR | 05 Aug 26 |
| Peach Aviation → Japan |
A320/321 | Captain | 4,000 | NTR | 05 Jul 26 |
| Piedmont Airlines → United States |
ERJ-145 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 30 Aug 26 |
| PNG Air → Papua New Guinea |
ATR-72 | Captain | 3,000 | TR | 21 Oct 26 |
| PSA Airlines → United States |
CRJ | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 27 Jun 26 |
| Revolution Geosystems → United States |
C208 | Captain | 600 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Revv Aviation → United States |
King Air | First Officer | 750 | NTR | 04 Oct 26 |
| Riyadh Air → Saudi Arabia |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 30 Sept 26 |
| ROMCargo Airlines → Romania |
B747-400 | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 01 Oct 26 |
| Rotana Jet → UAE |
G400/G450 | Captain | — | TR | 05 Jun 26 |
| Royal Brunei → Brunei |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,000 | TR | 15 Jun 26 |
| Royal Flying Doctors Service → Australia |
PC-12 | Captain | 2,000 | NTR | 29 Sept 26 |
| Royal Jordanian → Jordan |
A320/321 | Captain | 5,500 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| Ryanair → Italy |
CL-350 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 26 Jun 26 |
| Scoot → Singapore |
A320/321 | Captain | 3,500 | NTR | 15 Jun 26 |
| Seaborne Airlines → United States |
DHC-6 | Captain | — | TR | 06 Jul 26 |
| Sky Alps → Italy |
Q400 | Captain | 3,000 | NTR | 24 Jul 26 |
| Sky Lease Cargo → United States |
B747-400 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 02 Oct 26 |
| Sounds Air → New Zealand |
C208 | Captain | 1,200 | NTR | 27 Sept 26 |
| SriLankan Airlines → Sri Lanka |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,500 | TR | 04 Oct 26 |
| SWISS → Switzerland |
A320/321 | First Officer | 1,000 | TR | 19 Oct 26 |
| Toll Aviation → Australia |
King Air | Captain | 1,500 | NTR | 16 Sept 26 |
| TPC Aviation → Democratic Republic of Congo |
Fokker 50 | Captain | — | TR | 04 Sept 26 |
| Transavia → Belgium |
B737NG | First Officer | 500 | TR | 28 Jul 26 |
| TUI → United Kingdom |
B737NG | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 27 Jun 26 |
| Ural Airlines → Russia |
A320/321 | First Officer | 500 | TR | 28 Sept 26 |
| USC → Germany |
A340 | First Officer | 1,500 | NTR | 15 Jul 26 |
| ValueJet → Nigeria |
CRJ | Captain | 4,000 | TR | 20 Oct 26 |
| VietJet Air → Vietnam |
A330 | First Officer | 3,000 | TR | 29 May 26 |
| Virgin Galactic → United States |
— | Captain | 2,500 | NTR | 02 Oct 26 |
| VistaJet → Malta |
Global Express | First Officer | 1,000 | NTR | 08 Jul 26 |
| Volga Dnepr Airlines → Russia |
B737 Classic | Instructor | — | TR | 21 Oct 26 |
| Widerøe → Norway |
Dash 8 | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 14 Oct 26 |
| Wingo → Colombia |
B737NG | First Officer | 500 | NTR | 14 Sept 26 |
396 distinct requirements across 247 operators — every one published on bestpilotjobs, none omitted. A dash in the minimum column means the listing stated no hour requirement.
Methodology
Figures are derived from 413 pilot vacancies published on bestpilotjobs.com between 26 May 2026 and 22 October 2026. Minimum flight hours are taken verbatim from the requirement stated by the employer in each listing; where no minimum is stated, the listing is excluded from the hours medians but still counted in vacancy totals.
Medians are unweighted across listings rather than across operators, so an airline that advertises frequently carries proportionally more weight. In the operator table no averaging is applied at all: each row reports one operator's stated minimum for one aircraft and one role, or a range where repeat listings differed. Counts in that table are of listings placed on this site, which is not a measure of how many pilots an operator hired. Type-rating status reflects whether a current rating on the advertised aircraft is required at the point of application. Licence authority counts exceed the vacancy total because a single listing may accept more than one authority.
The index is recompiled on the first request of each calendar month and the snapshot is stored, so a figure quoted from a given month stays stable and verifiable. This snapshot: 2026-10, generated 22 October 2026. Compiled and reviewed by the bestpilotjobs editorial team, led by an active Commercial Airline Captain and Line Training Captain holding an EASA ATPL(A) with over 11,000 flight hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many flight hours do airlines require for a Captain position?
Across 413 vacancies published on bestpilotjobs, the median stated minimum for a Captain is 3,500 hours total time. The spread by region is wide: MENA publishes the highest median at 5,000 hours, Pacific the lowest at 2,000. Medians are taken across listings rather than across operators, so an airline advertising frequently carries more weight.
How many flight hours do airlines require for a First Officer position?
The median stated minimum for a First Officer is 1,500 hours total time. CIS asks the most at 2,000 hours and Latin America the least at 500. The gap between markets largely reflects how common low-hour and cadet-linked entry routes are in each one.
What proportion of pilot vacancies require a type rating?
48% of vacancies require a current type rating on the advertised aircraft at the point of application. The remaining 52% are open to non type-rated pilots.
Where does the data in the Pilot Hiring Index come from?
Every figure is computed directly from pilot vacancies published on bestpilotjobs.com between 26 May 2026 and 22 October 2026. Nothing is estimated, modelled, or drawn from third-party surveys — the index reports what employers actually stated in their own listings.
How often is the Pilot Hiring Index updated?
The index is recompiled once per calendar month. Each snapshot is stored, so figures quoted from a given month remain stable and verifiable rather than shifting between visits.
Citing this index
Journalists, flight schools and career advisors are welcome to quote these figures with attribution to bestpilotjobs Pilot Hiring Index, 22 October 2026 and a link to this page. Need a cut of the data we do not publish here — by country, operator type or aircraft family? Get in touch.