Types of Pilot Jobs: A Guide to Pilot Career Paths

The main types of pilots, grouped by the work they do, are airline pilots (passengers or cargo), charter and air taxi pilots, corporate and business aviation pilots, flight instructors, and pilots in aerial work such as surveying, agricultural flying and firefighting, with helicopter roles across several of these. The jobs differ in schedule, aircraft and lifestyle. They also differ in how much experience they require, which is why many pilot careers move through more than one of these paths. 

This guide explains what each path involves, which roles are usually open earlier in a career, and what employers look at when deciding whether you are eligible. 

Airline pilots fly scheduled passenger and cargo services with at least two pilots on the flight deck; long-haul flights often carry extra pilots so the crew can rest. The captain has overall command, and the first officer shares the flying and operational duties. Airline pilots usually start as first officers. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, advancement at an airline depends on a seniority system set out in collective agreements, so time with an airline shapes your career as well as flying hours. 

How experienced you need to be to join an airline depends on where you want to fly: 

• In the US, captains and first officers at Part 121 airlines, which include the major and regional carriers, must hold an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate and a type rating for the aircraft. In practice, that means building substantial experience in other flying jobs first. 
• In the UK and Europe, airlines can recruit first officers who hold a commercial licence with a multi-engine instrument rating, passes in the ATPL theory exams and multi-crew cooperation training (often called a “frozen ATPL”), or a multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) linked to a specific airline. Pilots then build towards the full airline transport licence while flying for the airline. 

Whether airline flying involves overnight stays depends on the route network. In the US, the BLS notes that airline pilots may spend several nights a week away from home because of layovers, while many short-haul pilots, particularly in Europe, return to base at the end of each duty. 

Some airlines recruit people before or during training through cadet or pathway programmes. The terms vary a lot. British Airways' Speedbird Pilot Academy provides fully funded training for the trainees it selects, who join BA as pilots if they complete it (applications for 2026 have closed). easyJet's partner programmes lead into a co-pilot role at easyJet on completion of training. Emirates Flight Training Academy gives its graduates the opportunity to interview for Emirates first officer roles, which it states is not a guaranteed position. Intakes open and close, so check each airline's own page for current availability. 

Charter pilots fly unscheduled trips, carrying passengers or cargo when and where a customer needs them, including sightseeing flights. The BLS notes that most commercial pilots, meaning those who fly outside the airlines, stay near home overnight, although hours can be irregular. 

Charter work shows clearly how experience affects which jobs you can take. In the US, for example, charter captains need more flight hours to fly under instrument flight rules than under visual flight rules, and larger aircraft require the airline transport pilot certificate. As their hours and qualifications grow, pilots can take on more demanding charter work. 

Corporate and business aviation pilots fly aircraft used by companies and private owners, across many different aircraft types. The flying follows the passengers' plans rather than a published timetable, and the US National Business Aviation Association describes business aviation scheduling as dealing with complex and shifting schedules. 

Vacancies in this sector may ask for experience on particular aircraft types, so it is worth noting which types appear most often in the roles that interest you. 

Flight instructors teach student pilots, from first lessons through to advanced ratings. It is a common way for newly qualified pilots to build hours: the BLS notes that some pilots work as flight instructors or charter pilots because these roles usually require less experience than airline jobs. 

Instructing requires its own qualification. In the US, a flight instructor certificate requires a commercial or airline transport pilot certificate, with an instrument rating for aeroplane instructors. Other countries set their own requirements for instructor qualifications. 

Aerial work covers flying where the aircraft is a tool for a task rather than transport. Examples include: 

• Survey and mapping 
• Agricultural flying, such as crop spraying 
• Firefighting and other emergency support

 
Requirements vary widely by task and operator, so read each vacancy's requirements closely. 

Helicopter pilots work in many of the same sectors, including rescue, firefighting, tours and charter. Pilot licences and ratings are specific to the aircraft category, so flying helicopters professionally requires helicopter qualifications, and aeroplane and helicopter careers largely develop as separate paths. 

Pilot vacancies usually spell out their minimum requirements, and a few factors come up again and again: 

• Licence level. A commercial licence opens most professional flying. Airline command, and in the US any flying for a Part 121 airline, requires the airline transport licence or certificate. 
• Total hours and pilot-in-command hours. Many roles set minimum hours, as the charter example shows, and some also set separate minimums for time as pilot in command. 
• Ratings. Instrument and multi-engine ratings widen the range of roles you can apply for. Instructor roles need an instructor qualification. 
• Aircraft experience and type ratings. Airlines require a type rating for the aircraft you fly. Whether you get it through the employer's training or need it beforehand depends on the employer, and some employers prefer pilots with experience on similar aircraft. 
• Where you hold your licence. Licences are issued by national or regional authorities, and working in another country can mean converting your licence first. 

Many pilot careers build in stages: roles that suit lower experience, such as instructing, then larger aircraft or more complex operations as hours and ratings grow, then an airline, corporate or specialist career. Airline cadet programmes can shorten that route for the pilots they select. 

Beyond eligibility, the paths differ in how they fit your life. Airline flying runs to planned rosters with progression through seniority, and depending on the route network can mean nights away from home. Other commercial flying varies more: instructing and some charter work often keep pilots closer to home overnight, while corporate flying can involve frequent nights away, and hours are often less predictable. Thinking about the lifestyle you want, not only the aircraft, helps you decide which experience to build. 

Looking at real vacancies is one of the most useful ways to see how these paths differ in practice: which operators are recruiting, which licences and hours they ask for, and which aircraft types appear most often. 

You can explore current pilot roles on Aviyond and compare requirements across airlines, charter operators and other employers.