Español Where you start
The commercial certificate, single-engine (ASEL) and multi-engine (AMEL), is included in Rookie — Level I ($92,901 standard), after the PPL and the instrument rating.
The commercial certificate in numbers
Commercial Pilot License (CPL) in Miami
The Commercial Pilot License lets you be paid to fly. The FAA requires at least 250 hours of flight time (14 CFR 61.129), age 18, a private certificate and a second-class medical to use its privileges. At The Alpha Aviation Group, the CPL — single- and multi-engine — is part of Rookie — Level I, trained at FXE.
-
250 h total FAA minimum flight time for the airplane CPL (61.129). -
Age 18 Minimum age for the commercial certificate (61.123). -
2nd-class medical Needed to exercise commercial privileges (61.23).
CPL requirements
14 CFR 61.123 requires you to:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Read, speak, write and understand English.
- Hold at least a private pilot certificate.
- Pass the commercial knowledge test and the practical test (checkride).
- Hold a second-class medical certificate to exercise commercial privileges (61.23).
Pilots who hold an EASA or ICAO commercial license have their own entry level (Level II) — see the cost guide.
FAA minimum flight time for the CPL (airplane, single-engine)
14 CFR 61.129(a) requires at least 250 hours, including:
| Requirement | FAA minimum |
|---|---|
| Powered aircraft | 100 h, 50 h of them in airplanes |
| Pilot in command | 100 h, including 50 h cross-country (10 h in airplanes) |
| Training with an instructor | 20 h, including 10 h instrument training |
| Complex, turbine or technically advanced airplane | 10 h of training |
| Day and night cross-country with an instructor | One 2-hour flight each, more than 100 nm straight-line |
| Checkride preparation | 3 h within the 2 calendar months before the test |
| Solo or PIC with an instructor on board | 10 h, including a 300-nm cross-country with one leg of 250 nm and 5 h at night |
Most of the 250 hours are built after the PPL and the instrument rating.
How the CPL fits the Airline Career Pathway
The CPL is the first certificate that allows paid flying (14 CFR 61.133), but it is not an airline certificate: U.S. airlines require an ATP for both pilots (14 CFR 121.436).
What comes next
- Multi-engine rating
- Flight instructor (CFI and CFII), which requires the CPL
- Time building toward the 1,500-hour ATP (14 CFR 61.159)
Already a commercial pilot?
Alpha publishes separate levels for EASA or ICAO commercial pilots (Level II) and FAA commercial pilots (Level III). Admissions confirms which one applies — see the cost guide.
Commercial Pilot License: frequently asked questions
Can I get paid to fly with a CPL?
Yes, within the privileges of 14 CFR 61.133 — for example as a flight instructor (with the CFI certificate) or in some commercial operations. To fly for a U.S. airline you also need the ATP certificate (14 CFR 121.436).
Why does the CPL require 250 hours?
The FAA sets 250 hours of total flight time as the minimum for the airplane commercial certificate, with specific minimums for pilot-in-command, cross-country, night and instrument time (14 CFR 61.129). It is a floor, not a forecast of your total.
Which medical certificate do I need?
A second-class medical certificate to exercise commercial pilot privileges (14 CFR 61.23). Airline pilots acting as captain need a first-class certificate, so many students get a first-class exam from the start.
Is the CPL in Rookie single-engine or multi-engine?
Both. Rookie — Level I includes the commercial certificate for single-engine land (CPL ASEL) and multi-engine land (CPL AMEL) airplanes.
I have an EASA or ICAO CPL. Do I start over?
No. Alpha has a separate entry level for EASA or ICAO commercial license holders: Level II, $60,914 standard. Admissions reviews your license and logbook to confirm the level — see the cost guide.
Does a CPL guarantee an airline job?
No. Airlines require the ATP certificate, which generally takes 1,500 hours (14 CFR 61.159), plus their own hiring process. The Student Agreement guarantees five interviews with U.S. commercial airlines when you successfully complete the Airline Career Pathway, subject to its conditions; an interview is not a job offer.
Other programs in the Airline Career Pathway
- Rookie — Level I: FAA training from zero — the full Level I path, from no license to CFII
- Private Pilot License (PPL) — 40-hour FAA minimum, the first certificate
- Instrument Rating (IR) — flying in clouds under IFR
- Multi-Engine Rating (MEL) — the class rating airlines fly
- Flight Instructor (CFI and CFII) — teaching to build flight time
Related guides
- All programs and how the pathway works
- FAA pilot training cost in Miami by level
- FAA Part 61 training in Miami for Latin American students
- Aviation English course
Questions about your case? Contact admissions in English or Spanish.