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 · South Dakota

Learn to Fly in South Dakota

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 South Dakota

South Dakota State is the only R-ATP school and a Delta Propel school, estimating a $90,827 average program cost (2026–27).

  • Flying clubs

    3 listed in this file.

  • Flight schools

    2 rows in this file.

  • Airline ties

    None listed in this file.

Flying Clubs

View all 3 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 3: 2 community, 0 military, 1 university, 0 school-run. Data quality in the file: partial.

Showing 3 of 3. 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.

School details

University programs

South Dakota State University (opens in a new tab)

Active

B.S. Aviation Technology (Professional Flight)

City and airport
Brookings · Verify
Part 141
Verify
Restricted ATP
1,000. Bachelor's on FAA list (rev. 9/15/2026); confirm 61.160(b) vs (d) with school
Published flight cost
$90,827 average total program estimate; required flight charges about $65,120 (per search summary). ASEL $210/hr, AMEL $325.50/hr, instruction $75/hrVerify

Scope: see display

Source year: 2026–27

Aid and GI Bill
Not foundNot found

Sources

Lake Area Technical College (opens in a new tab)

Active

Aviation – Professional Fixed-Wing Pilot

City and airport
Watertown · Verify
Part 141
Verify
Published flight cost
About $84,032 total (flight time $40,789, instructor $20,495; per search summary)Verify

Scope: all-in

Source year: FY27

Aid and GI Bill
Not foundNot found
Airline partners
Not found

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. South Dakota State is the only R-ATP school and a Delta Propel school, estimating a $90,827 average program cost (2026–27). Lake Area Tech's fixed-wing program is about $84k but isn't on the R-ATP list. Association scholarships run up to $3,000.

All South Dakota flight schools, A–Z

Not found This file lists no independent flight school.

State money

Airline hubs and bases

Not found This file lists no hub, focus city, or pilot base.

Regional and other carriers

Not found This file lists no other carrier base.

Notes

Examiners and medical examiners

Sources for South Dakota

South Dakota FAQ

How do I become an airline pilot in South Dakota?

South Dakota State is the only R-ATP school and a Delta Propel school, estimating a $90,827 average program cost (2026–27). Last checked 2026-10. Confirm it with a CFI and each school.

What flight schools are listed for South Dakota?

The file lists 2 schools. Names are in Flight Schools on this page.

What published flight costs are listed for South Dakota?

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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