Airline Recruiter Insights: A320 vs B737 Type Rating Which to Choose First
Recruiters at Indian airlines do not pick between A320 and B737 candidates based on which aircraft "looks better" on a resume. They look at fleet size, order books, and how fast a rated pilot can be rostered. Right now, the a320 vs b737 type rating which to choose first decision tilts toward Airbus purely on induction volume, but the honest answer depends on which airline is hiring when you finish your Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL).
Key Takeaways
- Fleet size favours Airbus: IndiGo alone operates over 380 A320/A321 family aircraft and holds an order book past 900 aircraft, dwarfing every 737 operator in the country combined.
- Boeing is not dead in India: Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet together fly and have ordered several hundred 737 MAX and legacy 737 aircraft, so B737-rated first officers still get hired.
- ATR 72 is the quiet growth story: IndiGo's ATR order book and Alliance Air's regional expansion under the UDAN scheme are creating turboprop first officer slots that many cadets overlook.
- Some airlines hire before type rating: A number of Indian carriers recruit fresh CPL holders and sponsor the type rating themselves, at a training organisation the airline chooses.
- Copying a friend's choice is a costly mistake: Recruiters told us the single most common regret among rejected candidates is picking a type rating because a batchmate did, not because a hiring airline actually needed that type.
At a Glance: A320 vs B737 vs ATR 72 in India
Aircraft Type | Main Indian Operators | Approx. Fleet in Service | Reported Future Orders | Fresher Hiring Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320 family | IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express (limited), GoFirst (grounded) | 380+ (IndiGo alone) | 900+ (IndiGo) | Frequent, largest single applicant pool |
Boeing 737 family | Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet | 150-200 combined, estimate | 190+ (Air India MAX order), plus Akasa's ongoing MAX deliveries | Steady but smaller intake windows |
ATR 72 | IndiGo, Alliance Air, Air India regional ops | 50+ combined, growing | Ongoing induction tied to UDAN regional routes | Rising, often first job for freshers |
Type rating cost (approx. category) | - | - | - | ATR generally higher cost, A320/B737 lower cost, verify current fees with training provider |
Typical training duration | - | - | - | 6-10 weeks classroom plus simulator, varies by provider |
Why This Decision Matters More Than Ever for Indian Cadets
A type rating is not a small purchase. Families in Delhi, Mumbai and Kerala routinely commit several lakh rupees to it, on top of everything already spent on ground school and flight hours. Getting the aircraft choice wrong does not just cost money. It can delay a first job by months while a cadet waits for the right airline to open a hiring window for that specific type.
Recruiters we spoke with, who screen first officer applications for Indian carriers, were blunt about one thing: nobody gets extra points for choosing the "cooler" aircraft. What matters is whether your type rating matches an airline that is actually inducting aircraft and opening cadet slots in the next twelve to eighteen months. That window moves. It moved from GoFirst's A320 fleet disappearing overnight in 2023 to Akasa Air's rapid 737 MAX expansion picking up some of that slack.
Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320: What Recruiters Actually Compare
Recruiters compare candidates on fleet match first, then on simulator performance, not on which manufacturer built the aircraft. Both types are narrow-body, twin-engine jets with similar mission profiles, so the real differentiator is whether your rating lines up with a carrier's actual aircraft.
Cockpit philosophy does differ. Airbus uses fly-by-wire sidestick controls with flight envelope protections. Boeing uses a control column with more direct manual feel. Neither is objectively "easier." Simulator instructors report that cadets who already have strong instrument scan habits from their CPL training adapt to either type within the standard course length, usually five to seven weeks of ground and simulator training before a base check.
One recruiter pattern worth noting: airlines running mixed fleets, such as Air India with both A320 family and 737 family aircraft, sometimes prefer candidates who show flexibility in interviews rather than a fixed loyalty to one type. That flexibility signal often matters more than the type rating itself.
India Fleet in India and Total Orders: The Numbers That Should Guide Your Decision
Fleet and order book data, not sales pitches from agents, should drive your decision. IndiGo operates the largest narrow-body fleet in India, built almost entirely on the A320/A321neo family, and its order book with Airbus runs past 900 aircraft, among the largest single airline orders in aviation history. That scale alone explains why the A320 type rating produces more first officer job postings than any other type in the country.
Boeing has not exited the picture. Air India ordered 190 737 MAX aircraft as part of its 2023 fleet renewal alongside its widebody order, and it continues to operate legacy 737s through Air India Express. Akasa Air, founded in 2022, runs an all-737 MAX fleet and has been one of the fastest-growing operators in the country, adding aircraft and routes each quarter. SpiceJet operates a mixed 737 fleet, though its induction pace has slowed compared to its 2019 peak.
Do not take an agent's word for which type is "hot" this year. Cross-check DGCA fleet data, airline investor presentations, and the manufacturer's own order backlog pages before committing. A fleet that looks dominant today can shrink fast, as GoFirst's grounding proved, and an airline that looks small today, like Akasa in 2022, can scale into a major recruiter within two years.
The ATR 72 Factor: A Booming Regional Segment Recruiters Rarely Mention
The ATR 72 turboprop is quietly becoming one of the fastest ways for a fresh CPL holder to log a first officer job in India. IndiGo has expanded its ATR fleet to serve regional and UDAN scheme routes, and Alliance Air, along with Air India's regional operations, continues inducting ATR 72s to connect tier-2 and tier-3 cities that narrow-body jets cannot serve profitably.
The turboprop route has two advantages recruiters flagged. First, ATR type ratings generally cost less and take less time than jet ratings. Second, regional expansion under government aviation connectivity schemes means hiring windows open more often on this type than on many jet routes. A first officer seat on an ATR 72 still counts as verified airline flying time, and several carriers use ATR experience as a stepping stone before moving pilots onto A320 or 737 fleets later in their career.
Do Airlines Hire Fresh CPL Holders Without a Type Rating?
Yes, several Indian carriers hire fresh CPL holders before any type rating and then sponsor the rating themselves, directing the candidate to a training organisation the airline has already vetted. This removes the guessing game entirely, since the airline tells you exactly which aircraft to train on and you have to cover the cost.
These cadet-style programs are not guaranteed and slots are limited, so most aspirants still need a self-funded plan. If you go this route without an airline sponsor, you carry the full risk of picking a type that airline may not need. That is precisely why matching your choice to current fleet and order data matters more than following whatever your friends or coaching centre recommend.
What Airline Recruiters Told Us: Five Factors That Actually Influence Hiring
We asked recruiters and training managers what genuinely moves a first officer application forward, beyond the aircraft type printed on the certificate.
- Fleet match to the hiring airline: A rating that matches the airline's current aircraft removes an entire training cost from their side, making you cheaper to hire immediately.
- Simulator hours logged before the type rating: Recruiters consistently said cadets who arrive with solid fixed-base or hybrid simulator hours pass type rating checkrides faster and interview better. Read more on how fixed-base simulator training actually works before you commit to a type rating.
- Communication and CRM under pressure: A polished type rating means little if a candidate cannot communicate clearly during a simulated abnormal scenario.
- Willingness to be flexible across fleets: Candidates open to either type, or to starting on ATR 72 before moving to jets, were described as easier to place quickly.
- Not choosing a type because a friend did: Every recruiter we spoke with raised this independently. Picking a rating to match a batchmate's decision, rather than actual hiring data, was named as the single most avoidable mistake cadets make.
India Airline Pilot Salary: First Officer vs Captain in 2026
First officer pay in India in 2026 sits meaningfully below captain pay, and the gap widens further once a pilot moves from narrow-body first officer to captain rank, since captain pay reflects command responsibility, seniority, and additional hours flown. The exact figure varies by airline, aircraft type, and seniority list position, so ask each airline's HR desk for current pay scales rather than relying on forum estimates.
Type rating choice does not directly change your pay band. What it changes is how quickly you get hired and onto a seniority list at all, since seniority, not aircraft type, is what drives most captain upgrade timelines at Indian carriers. A first officer who starts on ATR 72 and later upgrades to a jet fleet often reaches captain rank around the same seniority-adjusted timeline as one who started directly on a jet, sometimes faster, since regional fleets can offer earlier command opportunities.
How to Decide: A Practical Framework, Not a Trend to Follow
Skip the shortcuts. Build your decision on data you can verify, not on what sounds popular this batch.
Pull current fleet and order data for IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Alliance Air directly from their investor pages or DGCA filings.
Check which airlines are actively posting first officer notices in the months before you finish flight training, not a year in advance.
Consider the ATR 72 route seriously if you want a faster, lower-cost entry into airline flying, especially if regional postings do not bother you.
Ask about airline cadet programs before self-funding a rating, since a cadet slot removes the guesswork entirely.
Ignore what your friend or coaching agent recommends unless they can show you the fleet data behind it.
Track your simulator and ground school performance so you walk into any type rating course, and any recruiter interview, already ahead of the curve.
How Rian Air's Type Rating Prep Aligns With Either Path
Rian Air's type rating preparation does not push cadets toward one manufacturer. It builds the underlying skills, instrument scan, systems knowledge, CRM, and simulator discipline, that transfer to an A320, a 737, or an ATR 72 course. The RAPT™ platform tracks every simulator session and ground school score, so a cadet and their instructor can see exactly which weak areas need work before enrolling in a specific type rating.
For families weighing the A320 route specifically, our detailed A320 type rating preparation simulator training guide breaks down what to master before day one of the course. If you are still earlier in the journey and want to understand overall costs before locking in a type rating, the pilot training cost in India breakdown covers hidden fees most brochures skip. And if you are researching pathways in general, this comparison on how to become a commercial pilot in India after 12th lays out the full sequence from ground school onward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is A320 or B737 easier to get hired on in India right now?
A320 currently offers more hiring volume simply because IndiGo's fleet and order book are far larger than any single Boeing operator in India. That said, Akasa Air's rapid 737 MAX growth and Air India's mixed fleet mean Boeing-rated first officers still get hired regularly.
Should I consider ATR 72 instead of a jet type rating?
Consider it seriously if you want a faster, cheaper route into your first airline job. ATR 72 first officer seats are opening up through regional expansion, and the experience counts as verified airline time toward a later jet upgrade.
Can I get hired without any type rating at all?
Yes, some Indian airlines recruit fresh CPL holders and sponsor their type rating at a training organisation the airline selects. These slots are limited and competitive, so most cadets should still have a self-funded backup plan ready.
The A320 vs B737 type rating question does not have one universal right answer, and treating it like a trend to follow is how cadets end up funding an expensive mistake. Build your decision on real fleet data, stay open to the ATR 72 route, and match your training to what recruiters are actually hiring for this year. If you want a structured way to prepare for whichever type rating fits your data, Start Your Pilot Journey with Rian Air's assessment team, or Explore Pathways to compare training routes side by side. For behind-the-scenes glimpses of simulator sessions and recruiter Q&As, follow us on Instagram or subscribe on YouTube.