← All type rating guides
Type rating guide · Updated May 2026

Airbus A350 Type Rating Guide

A350-900 · A350-1000 · A350F (freighter)

Widebody 7–9 weeks training €35,000–€55,000
Training duration
7–9 weeks
Simulator hours
48–64 hrs
Estimated cost
€35,000–€55,000
Training bond
24–48 months
Min. hours required
500 hours multi-crew jet (most operators require significant widebody time)
Salary range
€100,000–€320,000 (FO to Captain, Europe to Gulf carriers)

Key operators

Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines

Licence & eligibility requirements

Full ATPL required by virtually all A350 operators

Training structure

A350 CBT technical modules, 4–5 simulator phases, OPC, LOFT, Line Check

Approved training organisations

Airbus Training Centre (Toulouse, Miami, Beijing), CAE (Amsterdam, Dallas, Singapore), Lufthansa Aviation Training

Demand outlook

Growing strongly. The A350 is Airbus's primary long-haul growth platform with a large unfilled order book beyond 2030.

Key facts

The A350 uses over 70% advanced materials including carbon fibre — its fuel efficiency makes it the aircraft of choice for new ultra-long-haul routes.

Cross-crew qualification (CCQ) allows A320 or A330-rated Airbus pilots to transition to the A350 with reduced training time.

Qatar Airways is the world's largest A350 operator — and a major recruiter of direct-entry A350 Captains globally.

The A350F freighter variant entered commercial service in 2025, opening a new stream of freighter Captain vacancies.

Singapore Airlines' A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) operates the world's longest commercial routes — Singapore–New York nonstop at 19 hours.

Browse Airbus A350 jobs
View current Captain and First Officer vacancies requiring this type rating.
Other type rating guides