Watch CBS News

United Airlines Chooses Denver For Global Flight Training Program

DENVER (CBS4) - United Airlines announced that it will base its entire pilot training program out of its Denver facility.

"We were in competition with Houston and Chicago to get this global training center," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock during a press conference welcoming the decision.

Hancock said that the deal means that 400 jobs will stay in Denver, another 225 jobs will be added, and there is a commitment of about $40 million in capital improvements.

"This is a big win for Denver, and for the entire region, for that matter. We're just honored that so many stakeholders came together to collaborate to compete against two big markets … hubs for United … Chicago and Houston," Hancock added.

United Deal
(credit CBS)

The city is offering $4 million in financial incentives, pending approval by the Denver City Council.

"The incentives are based on several benchmarks that will need to be met. The amount of capital investment that will be put into the existing facility,  the amount of jobs that will be brought to the training facility, and then the amount of capital investment in the simulators themselves," said Paul Washington, the executive director of the Office of Economic Development.

In its announcement, the airline gave three reasons for choosing Denver.

  1. It's the most cost-effective option.
  2. It allows the program to be up and running as much as two years sooner than planned.
  3. It minimizes the disruption to operations.

"This is a reaffirmation, to me, in our hub. Last year, they signed a lease that takes them to 2035 and then to say, 'Yeah … okay … we're going to consolidate our world training here.' Yeah, I think that is a major commitment to us," said Kim Day, CEO of Denver International Airport.

The company has indicated that the training facility will stay in Stapleton, but the current building will get a dramatic renovation. It's within walking distance of the new rail station along the eastern corridor. All United pilots will visit the center annually to complete training, which could translate to as much as 69,000 business travel nights. City officials expect that to have a significant impact on the local economy.

Libby Smith is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. If you have a story you'd like to tell CBS4 about, call 303-863-TIPS (8477) or visit the News Tips section.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.