Educational only. Confirm this with your CFI (certified flight instructor), an AME (aviation medical examiner), and each program. We are not the FAA, a flight school, or an airline. Full disclaimer

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State guide · Illinois

Learn to Fly in Illinois

Schools, clubs, and instructors. Educational only. Confirm each step with your CFI.

Flight schoolsFind an instructor
Not financial, tax, or legal advice

This is general educational information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Grease the Journey does not endorse or broker loans. Rates, terms, and benefit rules come from the lender, the school, or the VA, and they can change. Consult the lender, the VA, or a licensed financial professional before you borrow or use benefits. Nothing here promises earnings, a job offer, or any other outcome.

Never rush a badge. Fly only what you're trained and ready for, and plan it with your instructor. Safety first. Last checked October 2026.

Flight training in Illinois

Chicago is a two-hub city (United HQ at ORD, plus American), with Envoy, Republic, and SkyWest bases.

  • Flying clubs

    5 listed in this file.

  • Flight schools

    6 rows in this file.

  • Airline base

    United · ORD (HQ Chicago)

Flying Clubs

View all 5 clubs

Never affected by sponsorship. Free flying club listings and the A–Z school list are never reordered or affected by sponsors.

Flying clubs are member-run groups that share the cost of aircraft. Because there's no profit markup, hourly rates are often lower than at a flight school, which makes a club one of the cheapest ways to build hours after your private certificate. You also get a community: mentors, safety pilots, fly-outs, and people who know the local examiners and instructors. The trade-offs are monthly dues, a buy-in or initiation fee at many clubs, waitlists, and the fact that not every club offers instruction or accepts student pilots. Rates move with fuel prices, so confirm current costs with the club before you join.

Clubs last checked 2026-10. The file counts 5: 5 community, 0 military, 0 university, 0 school-run. Data quality in the file: good.

Showing 5 of 5. Clubs without a published hourly rate stay at the bottom of the rate sort.

Flight Schools

Never affected by sponsorship. Free flying club listings and the A–Z school list are never reordered or affected by sponsors.

View all 6 schools

University programs

Lewis University (opens in a new tab)

Active

B.S. Aviation Flight Management / Flight Technology

City and airport
Romeoville · KLOT
Part 141
Verify
Restricted ATP
1,000 / 1,250. Bachelor's and associate's on FAA list (block printed under LeTourneau's entry)
Published flight cost
Per-lab minimums, e.g., Private labs $6,637 + $9,568; Commercial labs $9,274 + $12,626

Scope: no total published

Source year: Not stated

Aid and GI Bill
Has a military flight-student page for VA users

Spirit Airlines shut down in 2026; any Spirit Wings references are obsolete (verify)

Sources

Southern Illinois University Carbondale (opens in a new tab)

Active

B.S. Aviation Technologies / AAS Aviation Flight

City and airport
Carbondale (Murphysboro airport) · KMDH
Part 141
Verify
Restricted ATP
1,000 / 1,250. Bachelor's on FAA list (rev. 9/15/2026); confirm 61.160(b) vs (d) with school
Published flight cost
Per-course fees, e.g., Private I $8,628, Private II $9,432.50, Instrument I $6,662; overages often $1k–$3k

Scope: no total published

Source year: Summer 2026

Aid and GI Bill
Not foundNot found

Sources

Parkland College Institute of Aviation (opens in a new tab)

Active

Associate's in Aviation

City and airport
Savoy/Champaign · KCMI
Part 141
Verify
Published flight cost
Per-course $4,367–$13,305 (Private I $8,442, Private II $10,503)

Scope: plus aviation tuition and fees

Source year: 2026–27

Aid and GI Bill
Not foundNot found
Airline partners
Not found

Sources

Moody Bible Institute (opens in a new tab)

Active

B.S. Missionary Aviation Technology

City and airport
Chicago HQ; flight in Spokane, WA · KSFF
Part 141
Yes (per program description)
Restricted ATP
1,000. Bachelor's on FAA list (rev. 9/15/2026); confirm 61.160(b) vs (d) with school
Published flight cost
Not foundNot found
Aid and GI Bill
Not foundNot found
Airline partners
Not found

Mission-aviation focus; training is in Washington state

Sources

Other

ATP Flight School (opens in a new tab)

Locations
Chicago–DuPage (DPA); North Chicago–Chicago Executive (PWK)
Part 61 or 141
Verify
Published cost
$123,995 from zero; $90,995 with private

Scope: fixed tuition; ~$10.5k–$12k exam fees and up to $5k location premium extra

Source year: 2026

VA approved
Verify

Sources

Cadet Programs

View all

  • Delta Air Lines

    Propel Pilot Career Path (Collegiate & CFI path)

    Open

    View

  • JetBlue

    Gateway Select

    Open

    View

  • Envoy Air (American)

    Envoy Cadet Program

    Rolling

    View

Costs, hubs, notes, and sources

Data quality in the file: partial. Chicago is a two-hub city (United HQ at ORD, plus American), with Envoy, Republic, and SkyWest bases. Three in-state R-ATP schools (Lewis, SIU, Parkland) publish per-course fees but no program totals.

All Illinois flight schools, A–Z

  • ATP Flight School
  • Illinois Aviation Academy

State money

David & Florence Kleine Flight Training Scholarship (AOPA)

Active (open now)

Scholarship

Administrator
AOPA Foundation
Who receives it
students
Amount
Not stated
Eligibility
Preference for training in Illinois; AOPA fall window Oct 1–Dec 31
Covers flight fees
Yes

Sources

Airline hubs and bases

Regional and other carriers

Notes

Examiners and medical examiners

Sources for Illinois

Illinois FAQ

How do I become an airline pilot in Illinois?

Chicago is a two-hub city (United HQ at ORD, plus American), with Envoy, Republic, and SkyWest bases. Last checked 2026-10. Confirm it with a CFI and each school.

What flight schools are listed for Illinois?

The file lists 6 schools. Names are in Flight Schools on this page.

What published flight costs are listed for Illinois?

Published costs are on each school row. Prices can change. Check the school for the current figure.

Safety is the most important badge

Never rush a badge. Fly only what you're trained and ready for, and plan it with your instructor. Safety first.

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