Delta Air Lines Pilot Recruitment 2026
Hiring status, requirements, selection steps and the path to the seat. Requirements checked against Delta Air Lines' official careers pages on .
Is Delta Air Lines hiring pilots in 2026?
Yes. Delta Air Lines is recruiting pilots, according to its official careers pages as of October 3, 2026. Total Flight Time: 1,500 hours of documented total flight time. Low-hour route: the Delta Propel Pilot Career Path. New First Officers earn $125.52 an hour under the published scale.
- Delta First Officer requisition #28088 — open posting and the full minimum qualifications
- Delta pilot hiring process & FAQs — selection steps, degree preference, two-week indoctrination
- Delta Propel — Propel paths and the Qualified Job Offer
Delta Air Lines screens with an aptitude battery before a human reads your application.
Sit a timed practice paper free — no account. Scored on pace as well as accuracy, because pace is what the real battery culls on.
Where are you with Delta Air Lines?
Selection runs on its own timetable, and what helps depends entirely on where you are in it. Tell us, and what we send you matches that — nothing else.
| Hiring status | Active— applications open |
|---|---|
| Country / Region | United States · North America |
| Bases | 8 bases · ATL, MSP, DTW, SLC, SEA +3 more |
| Fleet types | A220-100/300, A319/320/321, A330-200/300/900, A350-900 +5 more |
| Contract type | Permanent, seniority-based progression |
| Type ratings accepted | B737, A220, A320, A330, A350, B757/767, B777 |
| Assessment stages | 3 stages · 6-step pipeline |
Delta Air Lines pilot requirements
As published on Delta Air Lines' official careers pages, checked October 3, 2026.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certificates | FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument-Airplane, all aeronautical experience requirements for an ATP (Airplane) per 14 CFR 61.159, and a current ATP written exam |
| Total Flight Time | 1,500 hours of documented total flight time |
| Turbine Time | 1,000 hours fixed-wing turbine preferred, with a minimum of 500 turbine hours in a non-powered-lift airplane |
| PIC / SIC | Minimum 250 hours PIC or SIC as defined in 14 CFR 61.159(a)(5) |
| Multi-engine | Minimum 50 hours multi-engine airplane time |
| Age | At least 23 years old |
| Education | High school diploma or GED. A four-year degree is highly preferred but not required for First Officer candidates |
| Medical | Current FAA First Class medical certificate |
| Work authorisation | Legally authorised to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future |
| Documents | Passport or travel documents allowing free exit and re-entry to the US; FCC Radiotelephone Operator Permit; Yellow Fever vaccination card before indoctrination |
What the job pays
From the 2023 Delta–ALPA Pilot Working Agreement. Full Delta Air Lines pay table, by year and aircraft
The full table with every figure is on the Delta Air Lines salary page.
From student pilot to Delta Air Lines Captain
The hour figures are the FAA legal minimums (14 CFR Part 61); the time ranges are typical, not promises.
Step 1
Private Pilot certificate
40 h minimum 3–6 months 14 CFR 61.109Ground school, the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test (60 questions, 70% to pass), then the checkride. Most students log well over the 40-hour legal minimum.
Try free FAA Private Pilot written questionsStep 2
Instrument rating
50 h cross-country PIC + 40 h instrument 2–4 months 14 CFR 61.65Flying by reference to instruments in cloud. Another FAA knowledge test and checkride.
Step 3
Commercial Pilot certificate
250 h total 6–12 months 14 CFR 61.129The certificate that lets you be paid to fly. Add a multi-engine rating here or later.
Step 4
Build time (usually as a flight instructor)
250 → 1,500 h 1–2 yearsMost pilots instruct (CFI) or fly charter/survey to reach airline minimums.
Step 5
ATP minimums
1,500 h (R-ATP: 1,250 / 1,000 / 750) 14 CFR 61.159 / 61.160Restricted ATP at 1,250 h with an aviation associate degree, 1,000 h with a bachelor's, 750 h for qualifying military pilots. The ATP CTP course comes before the ATP knowledge test.
Step 6
Regional or entry-level airline First Officer
Turbine and Part 121 time 2–4 yearsWhere most US major-airline pilots build turbine and pilot-in-command time.
Step 7
Delta Air Lines First Officer
1,500 hours of documented total flight timePay steps up every year of seniority on the contract scale.
Step 8
Delta Air Lines Captain
Seniority-based upgrade Depends on seniority and growthCaptain seats are bid by seniority; how fast you hold one depends on hiring and retirements, not on your logbook alone.
How to Apply: Delta Air Lines Pilot Application Process
The Delta Air Lines pilot selection process step by step, as the airline describes it (checked October 3, 2026). Where the airline does not publish a stage, we say so.
- 1
Online application
RollingApply to an open Delta pilot position on the Delta pilot careers site (First Officer requisition open on 3 Oct 2026). Each application is reviewed by two members of the Application Review Team.
- 2
Online assessment
OnlineCompetitive candidates take the Aon online assessment, which tests personality and skill-based competencies.
- 3
Panel interview at Delta HQ
1 dayPanel interview in Atlanta plus the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2).
- 4
Psychologist interview
VirtualCandidates who pass the face-to-face interview do a virtual interview with a Delta psychologist. Passing everything leads to a Conditional Job Offer.
- 5
Pre-employment screening
VariesBackground, drug test and document checks before a class date.
- 6
Indoctrination and training
2 weeks indoc + type trainingTwo-week indoctrination, wing ceremony, then initial qualification training under the FAA Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) in full-motion simulators.
Assessment Stages: What Delta Air Lines Tests
1. Aon online assessment
Personality and skill-based competency tests taken online before any interview.
Preparation Tips
- Answer personality items consistently and honestly
- Do the timed sections rested and without interruptions
- It comes before any interview, so prepare for it like a test
2. Panel interview + MMPI-2
Face-to-face panel at Delta headquarters with the MMPI-2 personality inventory the same day.
Preparation Tips
- Prepare 8-10 real stories in STAR form (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
- Know Delta's values and why you want Delta specifically
- Answer the MMPI-2 candidly; consistency matters more than impression
3. Psychologist interview
A virtual interview with a Delta psychologist for candidates who passed the panel.
Preparation Tips
- Expect follow-ups on your MMPI-2 answers
- Be specific about how you handle stress and conflict
Delta Air Lines Pilot Interview Questions
Typical questions in airline pilot panel and HR interviews, including at Delta Air Lines. Prepare STAR-format answers (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and 8-10 real aviation stories.
- Q1
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a captain.
- Q2
Describe a difficult decision under time pressure.
- Q3
Why Delta over other majors?
- Q4
Tell me about going above and beyond for a colleague.
- Q5
How would you handle a captain you suspected was impaired?
- Q6
Describe your worst flight and lessons learned.
- Q7
What does CRM mean to you specifically?
Fleet You Could Fly at Delta Air Lines
9 aircraft types currently operated
Type ratings accepted at application
Holding one of these ratings can accelerate the hiring pipeline.
Delta Air Lines Pilot Bases (8)
Available pilot bases — bid by seniority
Cadet Program (No Experience Required)
Delta Propel Pilot Career Path
Delta and its wholly owned regional Endeavor Air run Propel as one programme: a single interview leads to a Qualified Job Offer, contingent on completing every part of Propel. After reaching ATP minimums the pilot flies for Endeavor (including at least 24 months as a captain) before moving to Delta. Paths for collegiate and CFI candidates, affiliate-school students, scholarship nominees and Delta employees.
Read full cadet program guide →
Insider Tips for Delta Air Lines Applicants
Delta reviews every application twice; complete every field and keep logbook totals consistent
The Aon online assessment comes before any interview, so prepare for it like a test
A four-year degree is highly preferred, not required
Propel gives a Qualified Job Offer to selected collegiate, CFI and employee candidates
Knowing the Delta Air Lines process is step one. Being ready for the stages that actually cut people is step two.
Before a human reads your application there is an aptitude battery, and candidates consistently report it as the heaviest cull — pace, not difficulty. You can practise it here for free: timed papers generated fresh each run, plus a divided-attention drill that measures how much your performance degrades under load. And when you reach the interview, there are 100 Delta Air Lines-specific questions with model answers, the red flags that fail each one, and the follow-ups the panel actually asks.
Already past the paperwork and preparing for the panel? , scored against the answers a panel is listening for. Seven days of access, no subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Delta Air Lines hiring pilots in 2026?
What are the minimum requirements to fly for Delta Air Lines?
What is the Delta Air Lines pilot selection process?
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What aircraft does Delta Air Lines fly?
Where are Delta Air Lines pilot bases?
Does Delta Air Lines have a cadet pilot program?
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