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EngineeringEditorial

Airline Pilot

طيار

Flies passenger and cargo aircraft safely around the world.

40Programmes in the UAE1Current job openings4ScholarshipsCompliance & regulationTop skill
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Career overview

What they do

Pilots train at approved flight academies (often airline cadet programmes) to earn licences, then build hours from first officer to captain. Strong maths, physics and English help, and medical fitness is required.

Typical responsibilities

  • Plan flights and check weather
  • Operate aircraft systems
  • Communicate with air traffic control
  • Handle abnormal situations
  • Lead the crew

Skills you'll need

Spatial awarenessCalm decision-makingTechnical EnglishMaths & physicsTeamwork

How much it relies on

MathematicsMedium
TechnologyMedium
ScienceMedium

Work style

IndependentTeam-based
TheoreticalHands-on
Fieldwork

Advantages

  • Global travel
  • Strong pay with seniority
  • Iconic national airlines

Disadvantages

  • Expensive, demanding training
  • Irregular schedules and time away
  • Strict medical checks

Growth & future opportunities

Editorial view: airline growth sustains demand; cadet programmes are the main entry route.

Career content is written by the Masari editorial team. Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.

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Study in the UAE

Programs at UAE institutions that lead to this career.

Average tuition

AED 64,200 per year on average for bachelor's programmes with published fees (AED 60,000–75,000, 5 programmes).

Master's: around AED 5,000 per credit hour (1 programmes).

From each university's official fee schedule. Yearly figures for per-credit schedules assume a full-time load of 30 credit hours. Excludes housing, books and other fees.

40 programs at 8 institutions

Programs and accreditation come from the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) register of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Tuition and duration appear once verified on the university's own program page; always confirm admission details with the university.

Scholarships for this path

See all scholarships

ADNOC Accelerator Program Scholars

ADNOC · Employer

Partial or discountUAE nationalsIn the UAEBachelor's · Master's

ADNOC support for high-potential Emiratis at approved UAE universities.

Dates not confirmedVerified· 22 Oct 2026
Official page

Emirates Aviation University scholarships

Emirates Aviation University · University

Full tuition onlyUAE nationalsInternational studentsUAE residentsIn the UAEBachelor's · Master'sMinimum 95%

Chancellor's Scholarship of up to 100% tuition, for up to 10 new students a year.

Dates not confirmedVerified· 22 Oct 2026
Official page

UAE job market

Openings collected from connected job sources.

Active openings
1
Government
1
Semi-government: 1
Private sector
0
Government · 100%Private sector · 0%

Openings by emirate

Abu Dhabi
1

Salary range from postings

No verified salary data yet.

Employers hiring

  • Etihad Airways · 1
Counted from1Etihad Airways careers

Browse live listings

LinkedIn Naukrigulf Dubizzle Dubai Careers

Masari counts vacancies from sources that permit automated collection (currently the Dubai Government's Dubai Careers portal). LinkedIn, Naukrigulf and Dubizzle don't allow automated access, so we link to their searches instead.

Job data last updated 25 Oct 2026, 11:02 AM

Skills employers ask for

From the descriptions of 1 current UAE vacancies for this career. Tick the skills you already have to see your gaps.

The bar shows the share of postings that mention each skill. Tick what you already have.

Specialist skills

Personal skills

Languages

Qualifications & licences

Counted with keyword matching on 1 posting descriptions from the job sources above. A skill appears once per posting. It's a guide to what employers ask for, not a full list.