United Airlines has completed the first phase of the expansion of its pilot training center in Denver, which the carrier describes as the largest facility of its kind in the world. Following the expansion, the center now operates 52 full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices and is capable of training up to 860 pilots per day.

The first phase of the project was carried out in cooperation with Canadian simulator manufacturer and training provider CAE. Since 2022, 40 new CAE training devices have been added to the center, while the entire complex now consists of eight buildings and nearly 65,000 square meters of training space.

Located in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood, the facility covers approximately nine hectares and serves as the sole training center for United’s nearly 18,000 active pilots, as well as all newly hired pilots joining the airline.

Pilots undergo intensive simulator training during their initial qualification process and return to Denver every nine months for recurrent training and checks required to maintain their qualifications. According to United, the center can conduct more than 32,000 training events annually and operates 24 hours a day, 362 days a year.

“United pilots are the best aviators in the world, and the pace at which our team has completed this project is an example of making investments that support our high standard of excellence,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said during the completion ceremony for the first phase of the project.

CAE President and CEO Matthew Bromberg emphasized that the expansion continues a partnership between the two companies that has lasted for more than four decades.

“We’re proud to support United with the training technology, expertise and reliability needed to prepare pilots at scale and we look forward to supporting its training needs for years to come,” Bromberg said.

The current expansion will not be the last. United is already preparing the second phase of the project, with construction expected to begin in 2027. The new section of the training center is expected to become operational around 2030.

In July this year, the Denver City Council approved the rezoning of two undeveloped parcels near Denver International Airport that United purchased in 2023. The airline plans to build additional training capacity at the site, which will operate alongside the existing complex.

United invested more than $145 million in the new building that opened in 2024, while total investment in the training center since 2016 has reached approximately $370 million. More than 300 new employees were hired following the opening of the latest expansion.

More than 1,600 people currently work at the center, representing a significant share of United’s more than 11,400 employees based in the Denver area. Employees work across 24 different departments, including pilot instruction and evaluation, training scheduling, pilot recruitment, human resources and flight standards.

The large number of pilots traveling to Denver for training also has a significant impact on the local economy. United says nearly $40 million was spent on hotel accommodation for visiting pilots in 2025, while that figure is expected to rise to around $50 million in 2026.

The history of the center dates back to the second half of the 1960s. The complex was built between 1966 and 1968 as part of the former Stapleton Airport infrastructure and has served as United’s main pilot training facility ever since.

The expansion of the training center comes alongside strong growth in United’s Denver operations, which now represent the airline’s fastest-growing hub. Since 2021, United has invested nearly $1 billion in infrastructure and passenger experience improvements at Denver International Airport.

Those investments include new gates, new United Club lounges — including the largest lounge in the carrier’s network — as well as a new check-in lobby. United hired more than 1,400 people in Denver last year and plans to add another approximately 1,300 employees during 2026.

During this summer season, United is operating an average of around 570 daily departures from Denver, more than any other airline at the airport. Its network from Denver includes more than 200 destinations, including more than 20 international destinations.

Fleet and network growth is also being accompanied by continued pilot recruitment. Since announcing its United Next growth strategy in 2021, the airline has hired more than 9,500 pilots. Around 700 pilots have been hired so far in 2026, with several hundred more expected to join the airline before the end of the year.

In addition to directly recruiting experienced First Officers, United attracts future pilots through its Aviate program and its own United Aviate Academy flight school in Arizona. A dedicated program is also available for active-duty U.S. military pilots. Since 2024, nearly 600 military pilots have transitioned to United, while the airline expects another approximately 500 to make the move by the end of 2027.

Of United’s nearly 18,000 pilots, around 4,500 are military veterans.