How Much Does It Cost to Train as a Pilot?

How much does it cost to train as commercial airline pilot?

The total cost of commercial pilot training

How much does it cost to train as a pilot?

As of 2022, the cost of commercial pilot training is between £/€ 40,000 to £/€ 150,000. The cost depends on which flight school you train at and the type of training you do (there’s more than one training route to becoming an airline pilot). Unfortunately, the cost of flight training is very expensive and can be a barrier to some people becoming a pilot.

At present, the majority of airline’s currently require the student to pay the cost of training and this seems unlikely to change for the foreseeable future given the number of pilots out of work who are seeking reemployment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • A full time commercial flight training course (known as an integrated course) completed at a European flight school will cost upwards of £80,000 to around £130,000.
  • Part time flight training, or a course completed at a various flight training organisations (known as modular training) will start at around £40,000 rising up to approxmately £60,000.

Type Rating Costs

You also need to factor in that many aircraft require the newly hired employee to pay for his or her Type Rating. This is the qualification needed by a pilot to operate a specific aircraft type such as a Boeing 737. This can cost between £15,000 to £35,000 depending on who provides the training.

To see what options there are to help you fund your flight training, you can visit our ‘Financing Flight Training‘ page for more information.

Integrated Flight Training

Integrated flight training refers to a full time commercial flight training course, where all of the training is completed with the same dedicated flight training organisation. Students who complete integrated flight training can complete the course with fewer flight hours than that required if completing it through the modular route. A full time integrated course usually takes between about 14 – 18 months, however it is dependant on the weather and satisfactory student progress at each stage.

Integrated Training Advantages:

  • It’s the quickest way to complete your flight training (14-18 months)
  • High quality, intensive training
  • Many airlines have traditionally preferred students from integrated training courses
  • Many integrated flight schools have good relationships with airlines, and have a recommendation system
  • Some airlines run mentored training programs which provide a fast track route into a job after completing your training
  • Fewer flight hours are required to obtain your CPL/IR

Modular Flight Training

Modular flight training refers to completing your flight training one step at a time. You can do the training at your own pace, as your spare time and finances allow. It’s usually cheaper than integrated training and gives you maximum flexibility.

You would normally complete your modular flight training in the following order:

  • Private Pilots Licence (PPL)
  • Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) Theoretical Examinations
  • Hour Building
  • Commercial Pilots Licence
  • Instrument Rating
  • Multi Crew Cooperation Course
Modular Flight Training Advantages
  • It’s the cheapest way to get your commercial pilots licence
  • You can pay for it as you go, no large fees are required upfront
  • You can complete it in your own time, alongside a full time job

For more information on the Pro’s and Con’s of each training route, visit our Integrated vs Modular page.