Selection process · tests · interview · after-hire training
Southwest Airlines pilot assessment
Updated October 2026 · SET STANDARD
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Southwest is hiring 737 First Officers again in 2026 through short application windows (about 1,072 hires planned, fuel permitting), but only FAA ATP holders with U.S. work authorisation can apply, and all Destination 225 pathways are currently closed.
Southwest Airlines is the largest U.S. airline by domestic passengers and the world's largest Boeing 737 operator, with about 800 aircraft and only one type family. Headquartered at Dallas Love Field, it built its brand on a point-to-point, low-cost model, quick turns and a people-first culture. Its story runs from a 1967 idea sketched by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher, through the Texas legal battles and the Wright Amendment, to the 2011 AirTran deal and launch order for the 737 MAX.
Key facts
| Fleet | 803 Boeing 737s (30 Jun 2026): about 294 737-700, about 190 737-800 and over 310 737-8 (MAX 8); 737-7 certified 3 Aug 2026, none delivered yet |
|---|---|
| Orders | 465 firm (269 737-7, 196 737-8) plus 152 options at 31 Dec 2025; 64 737-8 deliveries and about 60 retirements planned in 2026 |
| Bases | 13 crew bases: ATL, AUS (opened Mar 2026), BNA, BWI, DAL, DEN, HOU, LAS, LAX, MCO, MDW, OAK, PHX |
| Pilots | About 11,000, represented by SWAPA (5-year contract ratified Jan 2024) |
| Hiring 2026 | About 1,072 planned (Reuters, May 2026), up from about 872; may fall if fuel stays high; about 662 upgrades reported for 2026 |
| Entry routes | DE First Officer (FAA ATP); Destination 225 Cadet, University, Military and Employee pathways; no DE captain |
Entry routes and requirements
Direct-entry First Officer (B737)
Civilian (Part 121, Part 135, corporate) and military pilots who already meet FAA ATP minimums
- FAA ATP certificate, Airplane Multiengine Land, with 'English Proficient' (an R-ATP is not accepted for mainline hire)
- FAA First Class Medical (Special Issuance or SODA accepted where applicable)
- FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit
- Preferred: 500 h fixed-wing turbine time (cut from 1,000 h in Feb 2023), or completion of a Destination 225 pathway
Destination 225 Cadet Pathway (ab initio)
Applicants with no more than a Private Pilot certificate (Southwest employees: up to Commercial)
- Age 18+, high school diploma or equivalent, valid driver's licence
- Able to obtain an FAA First Class Medical
- Authorised to work full time in the U.S. without current or future employment-visa sponsorship
- Valid passport for travel in and out of the U.S.
Destination 225 University Pathway
Students in a professional flight degree at a partner university who hold a PPL and have completed their freshman year
- Enrolled at a partner university (e.g. Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Kent State, Oklahoma State, University of Oklahoma, Louisiana Tech, MTSU, UNO, Angelo State, Southeastern Oklahoma State, Texas Southern)
- PPL obtained through the university, current logbook, FAA First Class Medical
- U.S. work authorisation without visa sponsorship; age 18+; English proficiency
- Two professional recommendation letters, transcript, resume
Destination 225 Military Pathway
Current or former U.S. military pilots with some fixed-wing turbine time who do not yet meet Southwest FO minimums or currency
- U.S. Armed Forces pilot, separated within the last seven years or separating within two
- Fixed-wing turbine experience; SkillBridge and GI Bill usable
Destination 225 Employee Pathway
Current Southwest employees
- Southwest employee; details published internally on SWALife
The selection process, step by step
- Online application in a hiring windowonline (Southwest careers portal)
Candidates complete the profile, the Flight Hours grid and upload documents while a window is open. Recommendation letters may be requested soon after applying.
- Screening and online assessment (reported)online
Recruiting reviews minimums and fit. Some guides report an aptitude/personality battery for direct-entry candidates; Southwest publishes ADAPT plus a one-way recorded video interview for Destination 225 cadets.
- Interview day at Dallas headquartersin person
Reported in Sept-Oct 2026: early check-in, logbook collection, flight-ops overview, then separate 20-30 minute segments: logbook review with a captain, an HR segment (pilot plus HR) and a situational/scenario segment.
- Situational / scenario evaluation (reported)in person, with pilot interviewers
Scenario-based questions on operational problems (e.g. weather on the route, abnormal indications, a fuel or maintenance issue), judged on CRM, use of resources and decision-making rather than 737 recall.
- Conditional offer and checksadministrative
Conditional job offer subject to background check, PRIA records, drug test and medical, then a class date in Dallas.
Aptitude and psychometric tests
- cognitive aptitude
- personality
- one-way video interview (cadets)
ADAPT (official for Destination 225 Cadet) · Direct-entry aptitude vendor not officially stated (Cut-e/Aon reported by prep sites)
The interview
Separate short segments at Dallas HQ (reported): logbook review with a captain, HR panel (pilot plus HR), scenario segment with pilot interviewers; behavioural 'tell me about a time' style
- Why Southwest
- Warrior Spirit, Servant's Heart, Fun-LUVing Attitude
- Customer service and humour at work
- Teamwork and handling difficult colleagues
- Safety and judgement
Typical questions to prepare
- Why Southwest?
- What do you know about our fleet?
- Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer.
- How do you use humour at work?
- Tell me about a conflict with a captain or colleague.
- Describe a time you showed Warrior Spirit.
The simulator assessment
| Device | No selection simulator reported for DE FO in 2026; Boeing 737 NG/MAX full-flight simulators used in new-hire training |
|---|---|
| Where | Southwest training centre at Dallas Love Field headquarters; D225 University students also fly a non-motion sim there |
| Typical profile | No simulator evaluation is consistently reported in 2026 direct-entry selection; one prep site claims a short 737 sim session. New-hire training uses 737 full-flight simulators in Dallas. |
Language and after selection
English proficiency required (FAA certificates must show 'English Proficient').
New-hire indoctrination and B737 type training at Southwest's Dallas training centre, then IOE on the line. Base by seniority bid among 13 crew bases: ATL, AUS, BNA, BWI, DAL, DEN, HOU, LAS, LAX, MCO, MDW, OAK, PHX.
Common reasons candidates fail
- Applying without U.S. work authorisation or a full FAA ATP (no visa sponsorship; R-ATP not accepted for mainline)
- Flight Hours grid that does not match the logbook
- Weak or late recommendation letters (three expected, from pilots who know your flying)
- Generic answers with no customer-service or humour stories
- Ego or criticising former employers in the HR segment
Get the complete Southwest Airlines Assessment Guide
190 pages: company history and culture, every stage of the selection, model interview answers, technical refresher, Boeing 737 (all-737 fleet) systems and a simulator chapter for preparation where a sim stage applies (no simulator stage is consistently reported in Southwest Airlines selection). Updated for 2026.
Look inside the guideStatus: available · current to October 2026
About this guide
- Format
- PDF (bookmarked, iPad-optimised)
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ed 2026 · Revision 1.0
- Current to
- October 2026
- Pages
- 190
- Status
- Available
- Licence
- Personal, single user · see licence terms
- Updates
- Update policy to be announced before sales open
- Simulator stage
- Not consistently reported for this selection (see above)
Independent publication. Facts in this overview are labelled “reported” when they come from candidate reports rather than official sources — see the editorial standards. Notify me about this guide · See it in the catalogue
Practice questions: company knowledge
Interview practice drawn from public sources; the answers are not an FAQ about the guide.
When and where did Southwest operate its first flights?
18 June 1971, linking Dallas Love Field, Houston and San Antonio
Who founded Southwest?
Rollin King and Herb Kelleher
Where is Southwest headquartered?
Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
Who is Southwest's CEO?
Bob Jordan, President and CEO since February 2022
Who chairs the board?
Rakesh Gangwal, independent chair since November 2024
How many aircraft did Southwest have at 30 June 2026?
803 Boeing 737s
Preparation guides
Other airline assessments
Main sources
https://careers.southwestair.com/us/en/D225/
https://careers.southwestair.com/us/en/D225Cadet
https://careers.southwestair.com/us/en/D225University
https://careers.southwestair.com/us/en/D225Military
https://rotatepilot.com/airlines/southwest-airlines/recruitment
SET STANDARD is an independent training publisher, not affiliated with Southwest Airlines. Information compiled from public sources and candidate reports; always confirm with the airline’s official careers page.