United Airlines (United) has significantly expanded its Flight Training Centre in Denver, unveiling a new 150,000 ft² building. This addition enables the incorporation of 12 advanced full-motion flight simulators, with six already operational.
In 2024, United has hired over 300 pilots, building on the recruitment of more than 2,300 pilots in the previous year. The expanded facility, now encompassing eight buildings and over 700,000 ft² of training space, supports United’s 16,000 pilots.
The investment aligns with United Next, the airline’s strategic plan, emphasising continued advancements in personnel, infrastructure and technology. Located in Denver’s Central Park neighbourhood, the 23-acre facility remains the exclusive training hub for nearly 16,000 active and newly hired United pilots, ensuring rigorous simulator training to maintain certification.
United Airlines committed over US$145 million to the construction of the new facility, anticipating the creation of more than 370 new jobs. Presently, over 1,600 of United’s Denver-based workforce, among its 10,000+ employees, operate from the Flight Training Centre. These employees span 24 different departments, undertaking diverse roles such as flight instructing, flight evaluating, scheduling, pilot hiring, human resources and flight standards.
Originally established as part of the Stapleton Airport complex between 1966-68, United’s Flight Training Centre has been the primary pilot training facility for the airline. Since 2016, United has invested a total of US$370 million in the continuous enhancement of the Flight Training Centre. (£1.00 = US$1.27 at time of publication).