Destination 225°®
University Pathway

Create your own flight path

The Southwest Airlines® Destination 225° University Pathway is for individuals interested in pursuing a four-year degree that will lead them toward a career as a Southwest Airlines Pilot. Once selected, students at our partner universities continue to work on their degree and flight time while receiving guidance and a direct path to becoming a Southwest Airlines First Officer in as little as two years after graduation.  
With multiple university and program partners, we created this pathway as a highly accessible, cost-effective, innovative, and one of the fastest routes to flying at a major carrier while pursuing a degree. The university pathway eases barriers to becoming a Southwest Airlines First Officer through guidance, training, and quality flight time in order to develop great pilots. 

Mentorship that matters

Along with an engaging training program, cadets receive personal mentorship from active Southwest Airlines First Officers who guide their course throughout the program, from single-engines to Boeing 737s.
Destination 225° Lead Mentor Jennifer M.
"It's rewarding to see the change and the knowledge that our cadets build in such a short amount of time. Mentorship from Southwest First Officers sets Destination 225° apart."

- First Officer Jennifer M. 
Destination 225° Lead Mentor

Pre-flight checklist

Dive into the basics of our Destination 225° program, and prepare your application for flight!

Ready for your new career to take flight?

Learn more about our partners

We're thrilled about our partnerships with the following organizations who commit to going above and beyond to train and employ Destination 225° participants.

University pathway FAQs

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