Skip to main content

Pilot Careers

Piedmont Airlines’ 1:1 longevity pay and new reserve rules for captains changes the game. Maximize your work-life balance and secure your financial future.

Pilots with 950+ hours of qualifying Part 121, 135, or 91k time earn $100,000 on their first paycheck, and pilots with 500-949 hours of qualifying time earn $75,000, when they accept a conditional job offer by March 31, 2024, and start training by April 30, 2024.

Pilots with 500+ qualifying hours and a type rating for the Embraer 135/140/145 earn an additional $50,000 on their first paycheck when they accept a conditional job offer by March 31, 2024, and start training by May 31, 2024.

If you’re interested in learning more about opportunities available at Piedmont, review our FAQs page .

Apply Now

Maximize Your Opportunities

Piedmont is continuing to invest in our pilots by offering industry-leading quality of life benefits.

  • Expedited job offers and preferential training date
  • Transition coordinator to expedite the hiring process
  • 1:1 longevity credit
  • Captain Pay as a First Officer with 750 qualifying hours
  • First Officers start at $93 per hour and Captains start at $150 per hour
  • Long-call reserve once 250 Piedmont captain hours are complete (a minimum 12-hour call-out)
  • A minimum of 12 days off each month
  • 150% pay on select holidays
  • Contractual flow to American Airlines at 5 years or move to top of scale pay
  • Expanding fleet
Graphic with the text: Piedmont offers the complete package The benefits add up

Pilot Jobs at Piedmont

Direct Entry Captain Jobs

Join Piedmont as a Direct Entry Captain and maximize your career earnings. Bring your previous Part 121, 135, or 91K experience to earn even more. You’ll go straight to upgrade training so you can enjoy the view from the left seat and be one of the highest paid pilots in the regional industry.

Learn More

First Officer Jobs

Watch your First Officer career take off at Piedmont while enjoying one of the best benefits package in the industry. Plus, get paid as a Captain while flying as a First Officer when you reach 750 hours. You’ll train to proficiency and the standard at the American Airlines Training Center. Jet your pilot career further through the fastest Captain upgrade program and quickest contractual flow to American Airlines.

Learn More

Cadet Program

Looking to start your pilot career? Join Piedmont’s pilot Cadet Program, receive a $15,000 bonus and board the fastest path to American Airlines. Build hours how you want and where you want, and enjoy industry perks, as well as mentorships, events, and networking opportunities along the way. Once you complete the ATP-CTP course and exam, you’ll be placed into the next available new hire pilot training class at Piedmont, with no additional interview required.

Pilots with 500 hours Total Time are eligible for Piedmont’s flexible cadet program.

Learn More

Military Pilot Transition

Let Piedmont help you make the transition from a military pilot to a rewarding aviation career as a pilot at Piedmont. Your military flight hours count. If you’re short of FAA requirements for commercial pilots or need additional ratings, our military transition program will match you with flight schools to customize your training and fill in the gaps to get you off the ground.

Learn More

 

 

The Fastest Path to American Airlines

Piedmont Airlines pilots are on the fastest path to American Airlines under a company contractual “flow” program with enhanced quality of life benefits, including:

  • Compensating First Officers as Captains after accumulating 750 flight hours  
  • Minimum of 4 hours of flight pay for each day(s) of the assignment   
  • Commuting pilots in non-hub locations will receive four hotel nights per month 
  • 50% bonus on select holidays (including the “Big Football Game”) for all pilots 
  • Minimum of 12 days off and additional enhancements to bid schedules 
  • Captains flow to American Airlines in five years, or move to top of pay scale until they flow

Pay & Benefits

Upgrade to Captain

$150/hour

Year one Captain

$153.75/hour

Year two Captain

  • After 2,500 total hours and 1,000 Part 121 hours, bid for captain

 

First Officer Compensation

$93/hour

First year pay for First Officers

75 hours/month

Guaranteed

Time off

12 days off per month guaranteed minimum

4 hour min day

100 percent trip cancellation and dead head pay

48 hours paid sick leave per year

Up to 10 paid vacations days

6 paid holidays

World Class Benefits

Travel privileges for you, your family and friends across the American Airlines global network

401 (k) plan through Fidelity, with a company match

High quality affordable health insurance is best in the industry

PPO covers doctor visits, hospitalization, prescriptions and vision

Generous commuter policy including up to 4 commuter hotels a month

Long call reserve – 12 hours to report

Reserve Captains are guaranteed Long Call Reserve after obtaining 250 Captain hours 

Bid on crew base assignments based on vacancies and seniority

Pilot Pay Calculator

Earn your Stripes Quickly

At Piedmont, you may start as a first officer, but that doesn’t mean you’ll stay in the right seat longer than you need to. Before your guaranteed job at American, Piedmont pilots have the opportunity to become captains in 12-15 months, which increases your pay. It’s even sooner for pilots with Part 121 experience.

Graph showing how pilots through Piedmont upgrade to Captains usually within 15 months or less.

Crew Bases

Charlotte, NC

Two hours from the mountains, three to the coast, Charlotte has it all. Hiking, biking, rafting and the mild year-round climate to enjoy it. Fly Embraer jets from CLT, American’s largest East Coast hub, and build your career in a vibrant city that’s growing but still small enough to retain its Southern charm that always says hello.

Philadelphia, PA

Piedmont’s prime location and growing Philadelphia hub offer pilots another great situation. You’ll challenge your skills with East Coast takeoffs and landings. You’ll live where everything’s within reach. Operate within easy distance of all that makes the East great – dynamic cities, rich culture, live sports, top dining, the beach and mighty Atlantic. Position your career, your life – in the center of it all.

Harrisburg, PA

US News and World Report ranked Harrisburg, the state capitol of Pennsylvania, as the #1 Best Place to Live in Pennsylvania. Located along the banks of the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg is an eclectic mix of wilderness and city life, as well as the old and the new, making it a perfect destination for your pilot career. From hiking trails and outdoor recreational activities for the outdoor enthusiast to living within a few hours’ drive from major cities like New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Harrisburg has something for everyone.

Learn More

Questions? Check out our FAQ page to see if your question has already been answered. If not, we'd be happy to assist you. You can contact a recruiter to learn more about how to apply and receive a personalized guide to joining the Piedmont team. You can also meet members of our team at any of our upcoming recruiting events. Check out the available First Officer jobs below.

Upcoming Events

Event: 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference

8701 World Center Dr
March 21 - March 23

Event: Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus Career Expo

1 Aerospace Blvd
March 21 @ 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

Event: Kutztown University 2024 Spring Career Fair

15200 Kutztown Rd
March 27 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
More Events