Get an “accredited” online degree. You will regret not having it. Big time. You will make millions at a major. Why not set yourself up for success? One economic bomb, and hiring will freeze and you’ll be screwed.
Terrible advice to not get a degree.

We are not yet to the point where you can sail into a major airline job without a degree.

I doubt we will ever get to the point where the big six will consider those without a degree on a level playing field with those with a degree. They might get to a point where they have to hire you, but you'll need a batter package and more experience than the typical pilot (who has a degree).

It would be very premature to skip the degree right now unless you're planning on third tier or regionals for life.

It shouldn't.

You don't have flight training and experience in the industry, but are already trying to talk yourself into the path of least resistance, telling yourself what you want to hear. Listen to what's being said.

Get your flight training as seems you fit, but you can still do a four year degree online, as is the growing trend.

Focus.

Start flying. Get the degree online. No shortcuts to success.

American Airline’s wholly owned regionals don’t require a degree and currently have a guaranteed progression to AA. With a degree you’d have more options and might get hired somewhere else first. Getting hired a month or two sooner would pay for the degree.

I’ve been in aviation for 50 years, thru hiring booms and busts, and the degree requirement for the best jobs, airline and corporate, has never seriously been changed. It was a requirement for “legacies” (the only type then) in the last desparatd “pilot shortage” in the 60s. Don’t believe all the hoorah about “this time is different”, either. Every prior boom at the peak had the same chorus.

Yes, a vanishingly small number get hired at the Big 6 without one, but everyone probably has a story you can’t duplicate. The AA WO flow is the only guaranteed track now. Why limit your options by not having the degree?

GF

There are still thousands and thousands of regional pilots with degrees looking to move on. You are directly competing with them. The only people without degrees, were special case, and/or they worked at a carrier that merged into a legacy.

You’re just starting out so just go to a American wholly owned and flow. Better off doing that than getting into debt to buy a degree. There are so many peeps who have the degree and yet they don’t get called. Why would you be any different? But there are some people who get hired without TPIC nor a degree. So I’ll stick to my advice to not get a degree.

Yep. About 4% of those hired at the big six got there without a degree or TPIC. If you think it's a wise move to compete for only 4% of the major slots rather than 100% of them, go for it. If that's the sort of judgement you show, you deserve the kind of results you are going to get.


Seems kind of Darwinian karma to me.

My advice was to go to a AA flow through. That way he doesn’t need to worry about it at all. Sounds like good advice. No?

Better hope the flow still works in ten years. Those of us who have been around have seen it come and go.