THE CADET PILOT DIRECTORY
Compare 14 airline cadet pilot programmes across four regions. Explore entry requirements, funding, training and official application routes, then prepare for your next step.
Find a programme ↓Independent guides · Official sources · Free to browse
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
Check eligibility before investing in preparation.
“Check intake” means availability is not confirmed.
14 programmes
Compare the routes →Try another airline or reset your filters to see all guides.
Hong Kong
Before the long-haul flight comes the first lesson. Explore Cathay’s sponsored route from no flying experience to commercial pilot training.
Explore the programmeSponsored
Singapore
From Singapore Flying College to further airline training: discover the foundations behind a First Officer career.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
India
Ground school, flight training, then type rating. Follow the stages of Air India’s cadet pathway.
Explore the programmeCandidate-funded
India
A partner-school route begins with the basics. Find the training path and entry requirements that fit your starting point.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
United Kingdom
The 2026 Speedbird intake is closed. Use the time to understand the funded training route and prepare for a future campaign.
Explore the programmeFunded training
European network
New to flying or already on the way? Explore the entry gateways into the Future Flyer Academy.
Explore the programmePart-sponsored
Selected European markets
Initial pilot training leads into airline-specific preparation. Start by checking the academy’s eligible nationalities.
Explore the programmeCandidate contribution
UK / Europe
MPL or integrated ATPL? Understand the different beginner pathways before choosing your training route.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
France
The 2026 deadline has passed. Discover the academic, language and selection requirements behind the cadet route.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
United Arab Emirates
Explore the national cadet route for Emiratis, starting from zero flight hours at Emirates Flight Training Academy.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
Qatar
Look beyond the scholarship: understand the training journey, eligibility and service conditions together.
Explore the programmeScholarship
United Arab Emirates
Discover Etihad’s structured cadet programme for UAE nationals and its route towards a Second Officer role.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
United States
Destination 225° links training with experience building. Explore the milestones on the way to an airline career.
Explore the programmeCandidate-funded
United States
Gateway Select includes flight training and instructor experience before the next step towards airline flying.
Explore the programmeConfirm terms
COMPARE AT A GLANCE
All 14 researched routes, independent of the gallery filters. Funding labels are summaries; use each guide for restrictions and the official agreement for conditions.
| Airline and location | Funding | Recorded intake | Eligibility summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathay Pacific cadet guideHong Kong · Asia-Pacific | Sponsored | Year-round applications | 18 or older; Hong Kong or Chinese Mainland work rights, with eligible IANG / TTPS applicants welcomed. Secondary-school English and maths or science; English certification and HKCAD Class 1 requirements apply. |
| Singapore Airlines cadet guideSingapore · Asia-Pacific | Confirm terms | Recruitment advertised | A levels, diploma or degree; alternatively five O-level credits at one sitting including English, maths and science. Published height and vision criteria also apply. |
| Air India cadet guideIndia · Asia-Pacific | Candidate-funded | Check intake | Indian citizen or OCI; 18–30; 60% in 10+2 and in English, maths and physics individually. DGCA Class 1 clearance is required before flight training. |
| IndiGo cadet guideIndia · Asia-Pacific | Confirm terms | Check intake | The airline describes a route for applicants aged 18–32 with 10+2 physics and maths. Confirm precise age cut-offs, marks, nationality and medical requirements with the chosen approved school. |
| British Airways cadet guideUnited Kingdom · Europe | Funded training | 2026 intake closed | The 2026 campaign lists six GCSEs including English language, maths and science, fluent English and UK CAA Class 1 suitability. Check age, work rights and travel criteria against the next campaign. |
| Ryanair cadet guideEuropean network · Europe | Part-sponsored | Check intake | Requirements depend on your gateway and approved training partner. Confirm work rights, medical suitability and your existing qualifications before selecting an entry route. |
| Wizz Air cadet guideSelected European markets · Europe | Candidate contribution | Check intake | 18+ at course start, high-school graduation, fluent English, maths and physics ability, and a 50-metre swim. Nationality is restricted to the countries listed on the current programme page. |
| easyJet cadet guideUK / Europe · Europe | Confirm terms | Check intake | 18+ at course start; five GCSEs or equivalents including English, maths and science; suitable Class 1 medical; unrestricted UK, EU or Swiss work rights and network travel ability. |
| Air France cadet guideFrance · Europe | Confirm terms | 2026 intake closed | EEA or Swiss nationality and fluent French. Several academic routes are accepted; check the detailed list and restrictions on existing CPL holders. |
| Emirates cadet guideUnited Arab Emirates · Middle East | Confirm terms | Check intake | This is the national programme for UAE nationals. Check the current vacancy for education, age, English and medical criteria. |
| Qatar Airways cadet guideQatar · Middle East | Scholarship | Check intake | Qatari national or applicant with a Qatari mother; above 17 and below 27 at application. School-score, English, medical and other scholarship conditions apply. |
| Etihad Airways cadet guideUnited Arab Emirates · Middle East | Confirm terms | Check intake | Listed within Etihad’s UAE-national programmes. Refer to the linked current vacancy for exact age, education, language and medical criteria. |
| Southwest Airlines cadet guideUnited States · North America | Candidate-funded | Check intake | 18+, high-school diploma or equivalent, US work authorisation without sponsorship, and FAA First-Class medical suitability. External applicants must not exceed a private-pilot qualification. |
| JetBlue cadet guideUnited States · North America | Confirm terms | Recruitment advertised | High-school diploma/GED, no higher than private-pilot certification at entry, First-Class medical and specified US citizenship/permanent-residence documentation. Must reach age 23 by programme completion. |
BEFORE YOU COMMIT
Check nationality, work rights, education, English and the required medical standard against the exact intake. A route advertised globally may still have restricted entry.
Compare tuition, living costs, resits, conversion and type rating. Ask what happens if training is delayed, you withdraw or employment does not follow.
Separate training completion, experience building, final assessment and airline employment. A conditional offer has conditions; an academy name alone is not a job guarantee.
An airline cadet pilot programme is a structured pathway into professional pilot training associated with an airline. Some accept applicants without flying experience; others require qualifications or experience. Eligibility, funding and the conditions for airline employment differ by programme.
This review edition includes Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Air India, IndiGo, British Airways, Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. A listing confirms a researched pathway, not a currently open intake. The directory is not exhaustive.
Funding varies. Sponsored or funded training can still involve living costs, service commitments or repayment conditions. Candidate-funded routes require the applicant to arrange payment. Compare the current written agreement rather than treating sponsorship as an unconditional scholarship.
It depends on the route. Nationality, residency and work rights can restrict entry even when the application page is accessible worldwide. Check the airline-specific eligibility summary and the current official vacancy before paying for assessments or training.
Do not assume so. Training completion, licensing, experience building, final airline assessment and employment are separate milestones. Any employment offer is governed by its written conditions.
An academy is a training provider; a cadet programme is a defined pathway with its own entry and progression conditions. An airline-branded academy does not by itself establish a cadet place or guaranteed airline employment.
Published by FlightdeckQ. Programme summaries use the official airline sources linked in each guide, checked on . Preparation advice is FlightdeckQ’s independent guidance. Requirements are summarised, not exhaustive; the current vacancy and signed agreement control.
“Check intake” means availability is unconfirmed. Funding marked “Confirm terms” has not been reduced to an unverified fee. Airline photographs illustrate these guides; they do not establish which aircraft cadets train on or imply airline endorsement.
Found a changed requirement? Send the programme name and official source.
This first edition covers 14 airlines across four regions. It is not yet an exhaustive worldwide list. Further Asia-Pacific, European, African and American programmes need source verification before inclusion.
Some airline academies are different from cadet programmes: Qantas expressly says its academy is not a Qantas Group cadet programme and does not guarantee employment. Read Qantas’ explanation ↗
Intake information is a dated snapshot, not live monitoring. Always recheck the airline’s official page before applying.