Overview

• The FAA confirmed hiring 2,026 new air traffic controllers in FY2025, topping its 2,000 target.
• The agency reports the pace is roughly 20% higher than during the same period in 2024.
• Plans call for more than 2,200 hires in FY2026 and at least 8,900 additions through 2028.
• Training capacity is expanding through larger FAA Academy cohorts and more university partners, with 600 students in training in August.
• Recruitment and retention measures include completion and location bonuses plus 20% annual retention pay, as the FAA still estimates a roughly 3,500-controller gap and cites aging systems linked to disruptions such as those at Newark earlier this year.