Redbird’s 2025 Flight Training Survey: Costs and Completion Time Hold Steady

Each year, the Redbird State of Flight Training Survey provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of flight training, and the 2025 report brings some welcome stability. Despite ongoing discussions about the cost and time required to earn a pilot certificate, this year’s data shows that both remain largely unchanged from previous years. The survey results confirm that training expenses have stabilized, and the time needed to complete a Private pilot certification continues to hold steady, providing predictability for students and instructors alike.

What’s it cost to earn a Private pilot cerificate?

About $14,000 is the median cost to earn a Private license according to the survey. That’s even with 2023 and up 12% from 2022.

How about an Instrument Rating? The median cost in 2024 was $12,750. That’s a 6% increase from 2023 and a 34% increase from 2022.

A Commercial certificate cost $28,000 in 2024 which is down 3% from 2023 and up about 6% from 2022.

The media per hour cost for a training aircraft in 2024 was $180 and the median cost of a line CFI was $65/hour.

How long does it take to earn a certificate?

According to the survey, 24 weeks (about 6 months) is the median length of time to earn a Private license.  That’s even with 2023 and down a month from 2022.

An Instrument Rating took 16 weeks (about 4 months) in 2024 versus 18 weeks (4.5 months) in 2022 and 2023.

The median length of time to earn a Commercial certificate was 28 weeks (4.5 months) which is up by 2 weeks on 2023 and down by 2 weeks on 2022.

What are the current checkride pass rates?

First-time pass rates in 2024 as reported by flight training organizations was 86%. DPEs reported a first-time pass rate of 76% in the survey.

The 2025 State of Flight Training Survey can be downloaded at RedBirdFlight.com.

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Eric Radtke

It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed.Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including FlightTrainingCentral.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.

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