Pilot jobs and flight schools in Texas
17 employers and schools from our directory with a sourced Texas presence, from DFW's two airline headquarters to Houston's offshore helicopter flying. Updated Oct 26, 2026.
Dallas–Fort Worth is home to American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Envoy Air, and Houston hosts Bristow plus regional pilot bases at IAH. Pay and minimums below are only what each operator publishes; open a listing for sources and check dates.
Airlines headquartered in Texas or with Texas pilot bases
| Name | Texas presence | Published minimums | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines Regional airlines | Houston (IAH) is one of its listed domiciles. | ATP (1,500 h, 500 XC, 100 night, 75 instrument, 25 multi) or R-ATP at 1,500/1,250/1,000/750 h. Helicopter time accepted toward total time with at least 250 h fixed-wing. | First officer $92.73/flight hour (year 1); captain from $144.24/flight hour |
| Envoy Air Regional airlines | Headquartered in Irving, next to DFW. American Airlines Group regional. | Not published | First officer $99.00/hour (year 1); captain $161.25 (year 2 rate) to $221.25 (year 6) |
| CommuteAir Regional airlines | Pilot base at Houston (IAH). | FAA ATP or Restricted ATP minimums. Rotor Transition Program: military 500 TT, civilian 1,250 TT (both 100 XC, 75 night, 75 instrument). | First officer $79.57/hour (year 1), $93.36 (year 2); captain from $152.25/hour; $20,000 FO bonus |
| Mesa Airlines Regional airlines | Pilot base at Houston (IAH). | Not published | Not published |
| Southwest Airlines Major airlines | Headquartered at Dallas Love Field; first flights in 1971 were Dallas to Houston and San Antonio. | Preferred: 500 h fixed-wing turbine or completion of the Destination 225° program | Not published |
| American Airlines Major airlines | Headquartered in Fort Worth, next to DFW. | Not published | Not published |
| PSA Airlines Regional airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) is one of its five crew bases. | ATP or R-ATP aeronautical experience, 25 h multi-engine in an actual aircraft (no sim time), First Class medical, ATP-CTP completed, FCC radio permit, passport eligibility | First officer $102.00/hour (year 1) to $120.75 (year 4+); captain $161.25 (year 1) to $228.75 (year 20); rates effective Jun 15, 2026 |
Helicopter operators
| Name | Texas presence | Published minimums | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Methods Helicopter operators | 4 Texas pilot postings: El Paso (Native Air), Lockhart (Texas Airlife), Snyder (AirLife TX) and a South Central regional relief role. | Rotor-wing VFR: 2,000 TT (1,500 in category), 1,000 PIC in category, 500 RW turbine, 200 XC (50 night), 100 unaided night PIC, 50 instrument. IFR: 2,500 TT (2,000 in category), 1,000 PIC, 500 XC, 75 instrument. Commercial + instrument (or ATP), 2nd-class medical | $82,900–$93,251 base (steps A–D) on 63 of 100 postings, before geo modifier and stipends; $15,000 sign-on on most postings |
| Global Medical Response (GMR) Helicopter operators | 21 helicopter pilot postings in Texas, more than any other state, including Med-Trans float pilot roles in Denton (DFW) at $102,072–$112,280. | Commercial rotorcraft; helicopter instrument rating; Class II medical; 2,000 TT; 1,500 helicopter; 1,000 helicopter PIC; 500 turbine helicopter; 100 night unaided (or 50 unaided + 100 aided) | 145 of 150 postings publish base: $88,759–$97,635 up to $157,322–$173,069; median $106,511–$117,162. Many include a geo modifier |
| Med-Trans Helicopter operators | West Texas bases (Fort Stockton, Lubbock, Odessa, Pampa, Pecos, Plainview, Seminole) post $125,260–$137,789; Childress $109,174–$117,791; Denton float pilots $102,072–$112,280. | Commercial rotorcraft; helicopter instrument rating; Class II medical; 2,000 TT; 1,500 helicopter; 1,000 helicopter PIC; 500 turbine helicopter; 100 night unaided (or 50 unaided + 100 aided) | Posted base ranges $88,759–$137,789 (median about $110,505–$121,555) |
| Air Evac Lifeteam Helicopter operators | Texas postings include Big Spring ($115,387–$126,926), Beaumont, Jasper, Fairfield, Wichita Falls, San Antonio, Abilene, Denison, Kerrville and Mineral Wells. | Commercial rotorcraft; helicopter instrument rating; Class II medical; 2,000 TT; 1,500 helicopter; 1,000 helicopter PIC; 500 turbine helicopter; 100 night unaided (or 50 unaided + 100 aided) | Posted base ranges $88,759–$147,996 (median about $106,511–$117,162), many including a geo modifier; $15K sign-on and $40,000 retention after 3 years on most |
| CareFlite Helicopter operators | Irving-based air medical operator serving DFW. | Not published | Not published |
| Bristow Group Helicopter operators | Headquartered in Houston. Operates in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, the UK, Norway, Australia and other countries per Bristow. | Not published | Not published |
Flight schools
| Name | Texas presence | Published minimums | Published pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopter Institute Flight schools | Helicopter school in Fort Worth (201 American Concourse). | Not published | Not published |
| US Aviation Academy Flight schools | Headquartered in Denton; Texas campuses in Denton, Conroe, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Kerrville and Fort Worth. | Not published | Not published |
| LeTourneau University Aviation Flight schools | University aviation program in Longview, East Texas. | Not published | Not published |
| ATP Flight School (Texas) Flight schools | Four DFW-area centers (Arlington GKY, McKinney TKI, Denton DTO, Fort Worth FTW), four around Houston/Austin and three around San Antonio. | Not published | Not published |
Plan your path
- Hours to ATP / R-ATP tracker
- How to become a helicopter pilot
- Helicopter pilot salary
- Regional first officer pay
- Pilot pay calculator
- Pilot contract tracker (American and Southwest contract dates)
Browse all categories
- Helicopter operators
- Regional airlines
- Major airlines
- Low-cost airlines
- Charter & fractional (Part 135/91K)
- Cargo airlines
- Flight schools
FAQ
Which airlines are headquartered in Texas?
American Airlines (Fort Worth) and Southwest Airlines (Dallas Love Field), per their SEC filings, plus American's regional Envoy Air (Irving). CommuteAir, Mesa and SkyWest list Houston (IAH) as a pilot base.
Where can I get helicopter jobs or training in Texas?
In this directory: Bristow (headquartered in Houston), CareFlite (air medical, Irving) and Helicopter Institute (flight training, Fort Worth). Each listing shows the pilot minimums and pay the operator publishes, or says Not published.
Where are the flight schools in Dallas–Fort Worth?
ATP lists DFW-area centers at Arlington (GKY), McKinney (TKI), Denton (DTO) and Fort Worth Meacham (FTW). US Aviation Academy is headquartered in Denton with a Fort Worth campus, and Helicopter Institute trains helicopter pilots in Fort Worth.
How is this list checked?
Every Texas fact comes from the company's own site or its SEC filings, linked on each listing with the date we checked it. Anything we could not confirm is marked Not published.
Know a Texas operator or school we're missing? Suggest a listing