Navy pilots reach airline captain seats faster (simpleflying.com)

Naval aviators can move into commercial cockpits within months, but they start as first officers at the bottom of the seniority list. Major legacy carriers including Delta, United, and American now see upgrades to captain in as little as three to five years, down from roughly 20, with 2026 expected to bring about 8,000 first officer hires. Delta and United offer conditional job offers to pilots still on active duty, while American routes veterans through Envoy Air and Southwest runs its Destination 225° Military Pathway.