ATPL
Airline Transport Pilot License
Last updated: April 20, 2026 · Maintained by Aviatr Editorial Team
What is ATPL?
An ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License) is the highest EASA pilot certificate, required to act as Pilot-in-Command of commercial air transport aircraft certified for operation with more than one pilot. It is the universal entry qualification for captains on regional, narrow-body, and wide-body airline fleets across Europe.
How is ATPL used?
ATPL theoretical knowledge covers 14 subjects and roughly 2,400 recommended study hours — far broader than PPL or CPL theory — spanning Meteorology, General Navigation, Radio Navigation, Mass and Balance, Aircraft Performance, Air Law, Operational Procedures, Flight Planning, Instrumentation, and more. Most candidates hold a 'frozen ATPL': CPL plus Instrument Rating, Multi-Engine Rating, a Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) course, and the full 14-subject ATPL theory — but have not yet accumulated the 1,500 flight hours required to unfreeze the license to full ATPL status. Airlines hire frozen-ATPL First Officers who then complete the final 1,500 hours in line operations before upgrading to Captain. Integrated ATPL courses cost 80,000 to 150,000 euro and take 18 to 24 months; modular routes are cheaper but typically longer and require more student self-organisation across multiple training providers. Before any Captain upgrade, a candidate must also pass a Line Check with the airline and demonstrate decision-making under multi-crew workload during routine and non-normal flight scenarios observed by a Type Rating Examiner.