Why A US Pilot Retirement Age Of 67 Would Ground Senior Captains On Every International Route

For nearly two decades, the mandatory retirement age for Part 121 airline pilots in the US has been 65. That limit was established in 2007 when Congress raised the age from 60, aligning the country’s regulations with international standards and allowing experienced pilots to remain in airline cockpits for longer. Now, lawmakers are once again debating whether that threshold should move higher. The latest effort comes through the Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act.