In case you missed the announcement:
Pilot Hiring Update
Grant Morris
VP Flight Operations
Published 8/15/2025
· 2 min read
To offset planned attrition and retirements and ensure we’re appropriately staffed for our summer 2026 schedule, we’re increasing our 2025 hiring plan by roughly 140 New Hire Pilots, bringing our annual target to over 180. This marks the first time since early 2024 that we’ll hire Pilots outside of the Destination 225° (D225) Program.
Today, we began contacting previously interviewed candidates who have been waiting in a pool since receiving contingent job offers (CJOs) in 2023 and early 2024. These candidates will receive priority placement in November and December 2025 training classes. We will maintain the previously scheduled October class of 16 Destination 225° (D225) graduates.
No matter their background, every Southwest Airlines Pilot must meet the same competitive standards for hire. Active Southwest Line Pilots participate in interviews and logbook reviews for all candidates, and Chief Pilots serve on the Decision Committee that approves each Pilot for hire. Once hired, our Instructors and Check Pilots maintain this rigor through training validation and evaluation gates to ensure all Pilots demonstrate our high performance standards before flying the line.
We’re pleased with the performance of recent D225 graduates now serving as Southwest First Officers and confident that recent Flight Ops investments have strengthened the infrastructure needed to support this hiring and training plan. This includes moving to Phase IV of the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP), implementing a new First Officer Feedback Form, adding more structure to the First Officer Mentor Program, formalizing our Pilot Monitoring & Intervention policy, completing the Operational Philosophy Seminar (OPS) Day, and increasing the audit capabilities in our Training Center.
We’ll share more information in the coming weeks about what this increased hiring plan means for upgrades and domicile right of return. If you serve in other impacted roles—such as LEAD Ops, Chief Pilot, FO Mentor, Check Pilot, Instructor, or Sim Tech—stay tuned for an email from your Leader about what this means for you.