Pilot jobs and flight schools in Austin
8 Austin-area pilot employers and flight schools: who bases pilots at AUS, who flies helicopters for hospitals and public safety in Central Texas, and where to train. Every fact comes from the operator's own site, job posting or pilots' union; anything not published says so. Updated Nov 2, 2026.
Austin has one mainline pilot domicile (Southwest at AUS). Its helicopter jobs are mostly public safety and air medical: Travis County's STAR Flight, the Texas DPS air station, and air medical bases nearby such as Air Methods at Lockhart. Most training happens just outside the city, at Georgetown, Taylor and San Marcos.
Airline pilot bases in Austin
| Name | Where around Austin | What | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines Major airlines | Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) pilot domicile | Boeing 737; AUS is one of 13 Southwest domiciles (per SWAPA) | Not published |
Helicopter and public-safety employers
| Name | Where around Austin | What | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Methods Helicopter operators | Lockhart (Texas Airlife base, 145 Old Lockhart Rd), a short drive from Austin and San Antonio (per the posting) | Air medical, Bell 407, VFR; posting 10707 (posted Nov 1, 2026) | $82,900–$93,251 (steps A–D) plus $15,000 sign-on available; VFR minimums 2,000 h total, 1,500 h in category, 1,000 h PIC in category |
| Travis County STAR Flight Government & law enforcement | Austin (7800 Old Manor Road) | County HAA + rescue/firefighting, AW169, SPIFR | $118,500/year on its last posting (Apr 2026) |
| Texas Department of Public Safety, Aircraft Operations Division Government & law enforcement | Austin air station (Central Texas Region) | State police aviation; AS350/EC145 helicopters and airplanes | Not published |
Flight schools around Austin
| Name | Where around Austin | What | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Aviation Academy Flight schools | San Marcos campus (between Austin and San Antonio) | Airplane, Part 141 | Not published |
| ATP Flight School (Texas) Flight schools | Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) and Georgetown Municipal (GTU, 160 Terminal Dr) | Airplane, full-time airline career program | $123,995 from zero time (9 months); Flex: flight instruction $400–$425/hr |
| Veracity Aviation Flight schools | Taylor Municipal (T74), northeast of Austin (moved from Georgetown May 30, 2024) | Helicopter, Robinson R22/R44 | Not published |
| Genesis Aero Flight schools | Georgetown (301 Toledo Trail), north of Austin | Airplane, Cirrus Training Center; Cirrus and Cessna | Not published |
Sources: each listing page links its sources with the date checked. Southwest domiciles from SWAPA; STAR Flight from Travis County and its Apr 2026 pilot posting; DPS air stations from Texas DPS; Lockhart pay from Air Methods posting 10707. ATP's price is for its full program, not Austin-specific.
Plan your path
- Helicopter pilot jobs in Texas (pay by town)
- HEMS pilot jobs
- Airline pilot pay
- Hours to ATP / R-ATP tracker
- San Antonio pilot jobs and flight schools
- Houston pilot jobs and flight schools
- DFW flight schools compared
- All Texas pilot employers and schools
FAQ
Which airlines have a pilot base in Austin?
Southwest has a pilot domicile at Austin-Bergstrom (AUS), one of its 13 domiciles according to SWAPA, the Southwest pilots' union (checked Nov 2, 2026). New hires bid for domiciles by seniority. Southwest's First Officer application was closed when we checked on Nov 1, 2026.
Is Travis County STAR Flight hiring pilots?
There was no open STAR Flight pilot posting on Travis County's job board when we checked Nov 2, 2026. Its last full-time Helicopter Pilot posting (job 26-10479, open Apr 16 to May 5, 2026) paid $118,500 a year and required 3,000 hours total, 2,000 hours helicopter PIC, 1,000 hours turbine, 100 hours unaided night, a helicopter instrument rating and five years of Part 135 helicopter PIC. STAR Flight flies three Leonardo AW169s.
How do you become a Texas DPS pilot?
DPS lieutenant pilots come from inside the department. DPS lists these requirements: commissioned officer at Trooper II or above with one year of continuous service, an FAA private pilot license (commercial before line status), a Texas Basic Law Enforcement Certificate and an FAA medical. DPS lists Austin and San Antonio air stations in its Central Texas Region. Pay is not published on the DPS aviation pages we checked.
Where can I fly air medical helicopters near Austin?
Air Methods posted a Bell 407 VFR pilot job at its Texas Airlife base in Lockhart on Nov 1, 2026. It pays $82,900–$93,251 (steps A–D) with a $15,000 sign-on available and needs 2,000 hours total and 1,000 hours PIC in category. See our Texas helicopter jobs guide for pay in other towns.
Where can I learn to fly in Austin?
ATP has centers at Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) and Georgetown (GTU). Genesis Aero, a Cirrus Training Center, is also in Georgetown. US Aviation Academy has a San Marcos campus. For helicopters, Veracity Aviation trains at Taylor Municipal (T74), having moved there from Georgetown on May 30, 2024.
How much does flight school cost in Austin?
ATP publishes $123,995 for its Airline Career Pilot Program from zero time, which takes about 9 months. That is the program price, not an Austin-specific price. Genesis Aero, Veracity and US Aviation Academy did not publish tuition on the pages we checked. Genesis Aero says its private course takes closer to 60–75 flight hours than the FAA minimum of 40.
Know an Austin operator or school we're missing? Suggest a listing or correction