On a compass rose, 225° is the southwest heading, and Destination 225° was developed to lead aspiring pilots to Southwest Airlines®.
The Southwest Airlines Destination 225° Program includes various pathways to provide the opportunity to get you to the right seat of a Southwest® aircraft. Set your course for 225°.
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Destination 225° Pathways
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You may have heard that there’s the potential for a pilot shortage across the industry. Our Destination 225° program will help Southwest reduce our dependency on the open market by allowing us to train future pilots on how to fly… and, specifically, how to fly the Southwest Way. For participants, the program paves the way to a career at the nation’s largest domestic carrier based on passengers carried, Southwest Airlines. Southwest is regularly recognized among the best companies in the world and as a great place to work.
Whether a pilot is hired from our Destination 225° pathways or through the traditional process, the pilot will be held to Southwest standards.Learn more about the standards for becoming a First Officer at Southwest Airlines. Through the Destination 225° Program, combined with our continued traditional hiring of First Officers, we aim to have the most experienced, passionate, and well-trained aviators joining the Southwest Team.
Destination 225° Cadet Pathway
The Destination 225° Cadet pathway is an ab initio—“from the beginning”—program. If you don’t have previous experience as a pilot, this four- to five-year program is for you. Southwest is proud to offer this program in a planned partnership with CAE, a worldwide leader in training for the civil aviation, defense and security, and healthcare markets.
The Destination 225° University pathway is designed for collegiate aviators who attend a Southwest partner university or complete a Southwest Campus Reach Internship. Southwest is working to partner with four universities to offer this transition training.
This pathway bridges the gap for active military pilots who do not yet meet the minimums to start their career as an airline pilot. If you have transitioned to a staff assignment or are a rotor/powerlift military pilot, this pathway could help you develop the skills and experience for fixed-wing airline operations. Southwest is proud to offer this transition training through a planned partnership with Bell Murray Aerospace
At Southwest, we’re known for our incredible Employees. We are proud to offer Employee pathways in a planned partnership with CAE, a worldwide leader in training for the civil aviation, defense and security, and healthcare markets, and US Aviation Academy.
If you’re a Southwest Employee, please see SWALife to learn more.
Training partners
We are proudly working to partner with the following training organizations who are all passionate about creating safe and effective future airline pilots.
University partners
We are excited about planned partnerships with the following university aviation programs.
Program partners
We are proud of our planned partnerships with the following organizations who will employ Destination 225° participants and empower them to build the quality experience required before applying for selection to join the Southwest Team.
