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United Airlines is celebrating the completion of phase one of its Flight Training Center, located in Denver. The facility now has a total of eight buildings and more than 700,000 square feet (65,032 square meters) of training space. This includes 86 CAE training devices: 52 state-of-the-art full-motion simulators and 34 fixed training devices.
This expansion now allows the facility to train up to 860 pilots each day, complementing the near 18,000 current pilots and continued growth projected. United already plans to extend the facility further, with Phase Two set to break ground next year and be completed by 2030.
Investment in the United Flight Training Center Denver Hub
The expansion cements the partnership between United and CAE, which has continued for the last four decades, and reflects ongoing investment to support the airline’s high standards across its operations. Located in the Central Park neighborhood at 7500 E 35th Ave, United’s sole training facility spans more than 22 acres. The facility has been open since 1966as part of the Stapleton Airport complex and has served as United’s primary pilot training facility ever since. Since 2016, United has spent more than $370 million to redevelop the training center.
The first phase of the extension added 40 new CAE training devices, which have been added progressively since 2022. The facility, about the size of 12 football fields, will continue to grow and support a pipeline of future United pilots. The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Scott Kirby, was at the opening of the latest expansion, alongside CAE President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bromberg, along with other United and CAE leaders to celebrate Phase One completion. Kirby commented on the ongoing investments in the facility.
“United pilots are the best aviators in the world, and the pace at which our team has completed this project is an example of making investments that support our high standard of excellence.”
All United pilots must complete intensive simulator training at this facility through the initial qualification process and every nine months thereafter to maintain their certifications. Supporting the 18,000 active pilots and all newly hired crew, the training center is the epicenter of ensuring the airline maintains excellence for its pilots. The facility is open 24 hours a day, 362 days a year, and can conduct 32,000 training events annually, supporting 860 pilots per day.
The Denver City Council approved rezoning requests for United’s purchase of undeveloped land near the airport, where the airline plans to begin expansion for Phase Two of the training center, which will complement the current facility in Central Park.
Since 2024, United has spent more than $145 million on the new facility, and since the new building opened, the carrier has hired for more than 300 new jobs, including 1,600 personnel in Denver’s 11,400-strong workforce. The training center has 24 active departments, including instructing, evaluating, scheduling, pilot hiring, human resources, and flight standards. On average, United spends more than $40 million on hotel room nights each year, with this expected to grow to $50 million in 2026.
Real-time schedule analysis is saving flyers at DEN.
Denver remains strategically important and is the airport’s fastest-growing hub. Since 2021, the Star Alliance carrier has spent more than $1 billion in total investments to improve the overall customer experience at DEN, including new gates, new United Club locations, and the largest network to date. United hired more than 1,400 people in Denver last year, and more than 1,300 are forecasted to join the carrier in 2026. United has a broad range of career paths for pilots, catering to all levels of experience, which include:
For experienced pilots who meet the airline’s hiring requirements
Wholly owned flight school in Goodyear, Arizona
Provides full-time active duty military pilots conditional job offers as a First Officer
United operates more flights to and from the state of Colorado than any other airline, and this summer is operating an average of 570 daily departures. The airline connects passengers to more than 200 destinations, including 20 international routes.
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