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. 

Ready for your career to take flight? Our applications are opening soon!

We're thrilled to announce that our Destination 225° Cadet and University pathway applications will be open between Monday, November 10, 10:00 a.m. CT, and Wednesday, November 12, 11:59 p.m. CT.

Join our Talent Community to stay up to date and be among the first to know when the application is live! 

Upcoming Information Session

Prepare to fly with Destination 225°, the fastest path to the right seat of a Southwest 737! Our Destination 225° Team is hosting virtual information sessions to give you a sneak peek into the basic requirements of the program and tips and tricks on how your career can soar to a First Officer seat in a Southwest 737.

Info session graphic
November 5, 2025
3:30 p.m. CT

University Pathway Virtual Information Session

Fly by the Destination 225° Team!

The Destination 225° Team plans to attend the following upcoming events*:

NGPA - National Gay Pilots Association

February 5 - 6, 2026

WAI - Women In Aviation International

March 19 - 21, 2026
*The listed events are subject to change and may vary based on availability.

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!

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.
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University pathway FAQs