United Airlines vs Southwest Airlines
A side-by-side comparison of pilot careers at United Airlines (UA) and Southwest Airlines (WN) — covering salary, fleet, requirements, and more.
Airline selection starts with an aptitude battery
It screens you before a human reads your application. Sit a timed practice paper free — scored on pace, which is what actually culls candidates.
Which one fits you
Read from the numbers above rather than from opinion. Where the published data does not settle a question, it is left open instead of guessed.
Same hour gate
Both state 1,000 hours, so hours will not decide this one. What decides it is the selection process itself — aptitude testing, the sim assessment and the competency interview.
United Airlines pays higher at both ends
Top of band: $200,000 as an FO and $400,000 as a captain. Bands are wide because seniority, fleet and country tax all move them — treat this as direction, not a payslip.
Whichever you pick, the gate is the same shape
Both run an aptitude battery before a human reads your CV, then a competency interview scored against the ICAO pilot competencies. We have a full pack for United Airlines, and not for the other one yet.
Knowing what United Airlines pays is the easy part. Getting through their selection is the part that decides whether you ever earn it.
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 United Airlines-specific questions with model answers, the red flags that fail each one, and the follow-ups the panel actually asks.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Requirements Comparison
United Airlines
- ATP certificate
- 1,500+ hours total time
- FAA Class 1 medical
- 1,000+ hours PIC preferred
- 4-year degree preferred
Southwest Airlines
- ATP certificate
- 2,500+ hours total time
- 1,000+ hours turbine PIC
- FAA Class 1 medical
- No degree requirement
Pros & Cons
United Airlines
Pros
- +Industry-leading captain pay
- +Modern fleet with 787 Dreamliner
- +Diverse fleet with many type rating opportunities
- +Large domestic route network
Cons
- –Longer wait for specific type ratings due to fleet size
Southwest Airlines
Pros
- +Simplified fleet — fewer type ratings needed
- +Large domestic route network
- +No degree requirement
About Each Airline
United Airlines
United Airlines operates a massive global network from its hubs in Newark, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington.
Full United Airlines career guide →Southwest Airlines
Southwest's single-type fleet (Boeing 737) and point-to-point model create a unique operational environment. Known for great company culture and work-life balance.
Full Southwest Airlines career guide →Calculate Your Salary
Model your earning potential at United Airlines or Southwest Airlines based on your experience, ratings, and career stage.
Salary Calculator