Pilot job market / Tours
The tour pilot job market
Tour pilots fly sightseeing passengers over canyons, coastlines, glaciers and islands, in airplanes, floatplanes and helicopters. Much of the work is in destinations with a peak visitor season.
Experience requirements vary with how a tour operation is certificated. The listings below show what current tour openings ask for in hours, certificates and pay.
What employers ask for
Minimum flight hours
Total flight time required. 1 of 7 listings state one.
- Under 2500
- 250–4990
- 500–9991
- 1,000–1,4990
- 1,500 or more0
- Not stated6
Certificates required
Share of listings that name each one.
- Commercial86%
- Instrument29%
- Seaplane29%
- First-class medical14%
- Private14%
By career stage
Listings grouped by the minimum hours they state, with the certificates asked for most often at each stage.
Building time1 listing
500–1,499 hours
Commercial, Instrument
Pay in current listings
None of the current tours listings states pay as a figure or range.
Aircraft in current listings
- Cessna 172 1
- Cessna 206 1
- Cessna 208B Caravan 1
- DeHavilland Beaver 1
- Helicopter 1
- Robinson R44 1
- T206H Stationair 1
- T207A Stationair 1
Where the jobs are
Current tours listings by state. Each state page covers its openings in every category, its aviation employers and its flying clubs.
The most recent listings
- TourLow-timeSeasonal
Tour Pilot
- State
- Washington
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
- Seaplane
Employer, town and apply link for members
- TourFull-time
Helicopter Line Pilot
- State
- Nevada
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
- Instrument
Employer, town and apply link for members
- TourSeasonal
helicopter pilots
- State
- Utah
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
- First-class medical
Employer, town and apply link for members
- TourSeasonal
Fixed-wing pilots
- State
- Utah
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
Employer, town and apply link for members
- Tour
Commercial Pilot (Air Tours)
- State
- California
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Commercial
Employer, town and apply link for members
- TourSeasonal
Seaplane Pilot - Seasonal
- State
- Alaska
- Minimum hours
- Hours not stated
- Pay
- Pay not listed
- Private
- Seaplane
Employer, town and apply link for members
Before you apply
- Nonstop sightseeing flights that begin and end at the same airport and stay within 25 statute miles can generally run under a Letter of Authorization instead of an air carrier certificate. Tours over national parks and near the Grand Canyon have additional rules.
- Other tours are generally flown by Part 135 operators, where a captain needs at least 500 hours for VFR-only flying and 1,200 hours under instrument rules, and an unrestricted ATP for airplanes with 10 or more passenger seats.
Other kinds of flying
Frequently asked questions
How many tour pilot jobs are open right now?+
7 listings are active on USA Pilot Jobs, 4 of them added in the last 30 days. The count is refreshed daily as listings are added and expire.
Which states have the most tour pilot openings?+
Current listings are spread across 6 states. The most are in Utah, Alaska and Arizona.
Why doesn't this page show the employer or an apply link?+
Job listings are for members. On the board, every listing shows the employer, the location, the full requirements and a link to apply on the employer's own site. Membership costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year.
Every tour pilot listing, in full
Members see the employer, location and full requirements for each opening, with the ones their hours and ratings already meet marked.
Browse pilot jobsNo contracts · You apply on the employer's own site