The Commercial Pilot Licence is the credential that separates professional flying from recreational flying. A CPL holder may be paid to act as pilot in command or co-pilot in commercial air transport operations, within the ratings they hold. If the goal is an airline career, the CPL is a core step on the path from a Private Pilot Licence to the frozen ATPL that airlines want.
A CPL crosses the line from recreational to professional flying. It permits the holder to receive payment for their services as a pilot, within the ratings they hold.
Unlike the PPL, which requires a Class 2 medical, the CPL demands the more rigorous Class 1 standard from a certified aeromedical examiner or aeromedical centre.
Students targeting an airline career typically complete the full 14-subject ATPL theoretical knowledge, which simultaneously satisfies the theory requirement for the CPL.
Combining a CPL with a multi-engine instrument rating and full ATPL theory passes produces a frozen ATPL, the starting point for a co-pilot role at an airline.
The defining privilege of a CPL is the right to receive remuneration for flying. As a CPL holder, you may act as pilot in command or co-pilot in commercial air transport operations, within the aircraft class or type ratings you hold. That distinction is important: the CPL itself does not qualify you on every aircraft, only on those you are rated for.
In practical terms, a CPL opens the door to roles that would be closed to a PPL holder: aerial work contracts, charter operations, regional flying, and the co-pilot seat at a commercial airline. For most students, the CPL is not an end destination but a milestone on the way to a first officer position, where it works alongside the instrument rating, multi-engine rating, and ATPL theory passes.
Under EASA Part-FCL, the requirements for a CPL(A) cover these main areas. Confirm current details with your ATO and national authority before relying on them.
The Class 1 medical is stricter than the Class 2 required for a PPL. It covers eyesight, hearing, cardiovascular health, and general fitness in more depth. The initial assessment is the most thorough; renewal checks are shorter.
The practical advice here is the same from every experienced pilot and instructor: book the initial Class 1 medical before committing serious money to training. If there is a condition that needs managing or that affects commercial flight, knowing early is far less costly than finding out after years of training spend.
The assessment is issued by an approved aeromedical examiner or an aeromedical centre designated by your national authority. Check the regulator website for a list of approved examiners in your country.
The modular CPL(A) route under EASA Part-FCL requires at least 200 hours total flight time. Within that total sit specific sub-requirements, including at least 100 hours as pilot-in-command and 20 hours of cross-country pilot-in-command time, the latter featuring a VFR cross-country flight of at least 540 km (300 NM) with full-stop landings at two aerodromes different from departure, alongside instrument and night flying instruction. These exist because the CPL standard demands more than accumulated hours: it wants breadth of experience across different conditions and roles.
Integrated courses follow a different model. Because every phase of training is structured and sequenced within a single programme, total hours often come in below the modular figure while still meeting the CPL standard. The difference is not a shortcut but a design choice: integrated training builds in the required experience systematically, without the gap-filling that modular students sometimes need between phases.
Hour minimums and sub-requirements are set by EASA Part-FCL and vary by route and approved training organisation, so confirm the current rules with your ATO before relying on any figure you read here or elsewhere.
At least 200 hours total flight time with sub-requirements for pilot-in-command and cross-country experience. Students typically complete the PPL, build hours, then move to the CPL skill test.
A structured programme where the ATO sequences all training to meet the CPL standard. Fewer total hours are often possible because there is no gap between training phases.
A CPL and a full Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) are related but distinct. A CPL allows commercial flight and is achievable with CPL-level theory. An ATPL is the highest pilot licence and is required to act as captain of an aircraft in commercial air transport. The ATPL requires more total flight experience, a more demanding skill test, and the full set of ATPL theoretical knowledge across all 14 subjects.
Between these two points sits what the industry calls the frozen ATPL. A pilot who holds a CPL, a multi-engine instrument rating, and a full set of ATPL theory passes across all 14 subjects is said to have a frozen ATPL. It is not a separate licence issued by the authority. It is the state of having met all the theoretical and licence conditions for an ATPL, while the experience requirement is still being built. In practical terms, it means you can operate as a co-pilot at a commercial airline.
The ATPL unfreezes after the required experience is met: broadly, 1,500 hours of total flight time with the right mix of multi-crew, instrument, and command experience. Once that threshold is reached and the full ATPL skill test is passed, the licence becomes a full ATPL and command rights follow.
The practical result: most students on the airline path complete the full 14-subject ATPL theory rather than the narrower CPL theory. Passing the full ATPL theoretical knowledge exams satisfies both the CPL theory requirement and the ATPL theory requirement at the same time, so completing only CPL theory would mean sitting a broader set of exams later.
A CPL on its own does not qualify you for a first officer seat at most airlines. What they typically want is a CPL combined with a multi-engine instrument rating, ATPL theory passes, and a Multi-Crew Cooperation certificate. Together, these components produce the frozen ATPL profile that airlines recognise.
The instrument rating qualifies you to fly by reference to instruments, in cloud and poor visibility, on instrument flight rules. Without it, commercial flight in scheduled airline conditions is not possible. It is usually trained and tested alongside or shortly after the CPL.
The multi-engine rating qualifies you to operate aircraft with more than one engine, including managing an engine failure. Airliners are all multi-engine, so this rating is a mandatory step toward airline flying. It is usually combined with the instrument rating as the ME IR.
Multi-Crew Cooperation training teaches you to operate as part of a two-pilot crew: task sharing, communication, and crew resource management in a jet simulator environment. Airlines require it before line training begins, and the APS MCC version is the most airline-oriented form.
For more on the full sequence from first flight to an airline seat, see the complete guide to becoming a pilot. For the theory side specifically, see the ATPL subjects overview and the ATPL exams guide. If you are weighing the financial side, the pilot salary guide covers what first officers and captains typically earn across different airline types.
A CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) is the licence that allows a pilot to be paid to fly. Under EASA Part-FCL, a CPL holder may act as pilot in command or co-pilot in commercial air transport operations, within the ratings they hold. It is the step above a PPL and the gateway to a professional flying career.
A Private Pilot Licence (PPL) allows you to fly for personal enjoyment but not for payment. A CPL removes that restriction: it lets you be remunerated for flying, which is what makes commercial and airline work possible. The CPL also requires more training, a Class 1 medical, more flight experience, and a higher standard in the skill test.
On the modular CPL(A) route, EASA Part-FCL requires at least 200 hours total flight time, including sub-requirements for pilot-in-command time and cross-country experience. Integrated training courses reach the same standard through structured programmes, often with fewer total hours logged. Always confirm current requirements with your ATO and national authority, as details can change.
A frozen ATPL is not a separate licence. It is the point at which a pilot holds a CPL, a multi-engine instrument rating, and a full set of ATPL theoretical knowledge passes. The pilot can operate as a first officer on commercial aircraft while building experience. The licence unfreezes to a full ATPL once the required total flight experience (1,500 hours) is met.
Not necessarily. You can hold a CPL with only CPL-level theoretical knowledge. However, if your goal is an airline career, completing the full 14-subject ATPL theoretical knowledge examination is the standard path. Passing all 14 subjects also satisfies the theory requirement for the CPL, so airline-track students typically complete the ATPL theory rather than the narrower CPL theory.
A CPL requires an EASA Class 1 medical certificate, issued by an approved aeromedical examiner or aeromedical centre. The Class 1 standard is more demanding than the Class 2 required for a PPL, covering eyesight, hearing, cardiovascular health, and general fitness. It is strongly advisable to obtain your initial Class 1 assessment early in training, before committing significant funds to flying.
SkyStudy covers all 14 ATPL theoretical knowledge subjects with exam-style question practice and timed mock exams. Start for free and see where your gaps are.
This page is general educational information for student pilots and may be out of date. Aviation rules, training requirements, costs, medical standards, and exam details change over time and vary by country, authority, and training organisation, so details here may no longer be current or may differ in your case. Always confirm the current details with your approved training organisation (ATO) and national aviation authority before relying on them. SkyStudy is an independent study aid, is not affiliated with EASA or any aviation authority, and does not guarantee any exam or licence outcome.Last reviewed June 2026.