It’s a dream for many people: learn to fly an aeroplane and become a private pilot. We all know it’s not a cheap activity, but what does it really cost?
April 2026: Learn To Fly Month
2 April 2026
The universal dream of becoming a private pilot comes at a cost. Apart from the effort and dedication needed during all those hours of studying and practising, there’s also the amount of money it will cost you. Spoiler: that’s a lot.
Learning to fly has never been cheap, but it has become even more expensive recently – probably no surprise there. Although most flying club membership fees haven’t increased, it seems almost everything else has. Since we last examined the cost of getting your PPL, back in 2024, prices have gone up across the board, also for flying.
There have been increases in everything from landing fees and exam costs to CAA fees, all which contribute to the average cost of getting your PPL. Additionally, inflation and rising aviation costs mean that many flight schools have put up their rates in the last few years.
Increases of one-time purchases, such as flying equipment, won’t make much of a difference to the total sum of your PPL. It’s the recurring costs, such as flight training, which make up the bulk of your expenses. At some flight schools the price of an hour of training has gone up £25. Which, if you need 57 hours of flight training like the average PPL student, means getting your licence just got £1,425 more expensive…
Sometimes you’ll see ‘PPL prices from £10,000’ or even so-called PPL-packages advertised for £9,999. A dream come true or too good to be true? Is it realistically still possible to get your PPL(A) for under £10,000?
Well, if you’re a super-fast learner and manage to beg, borrow, or steal all your flying equipment and textbooks, you might be able to do this. Especially since the CAA has reduced the minimum training hours requirement from 45 to 40 on 1 October 2025. However, the chances of spending less than £10,000 on your PPL are actually pretty close to zero. Sorry, this number just isn’t realistic anymore. Nowadays, the average student in the UK will spend between £14,000 and £19,000 to get their PPL(A).
However, you don’t necessarily need a PPL(A) to take to the skies. A more affordable option for aspiring pilots is getting a National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL(A)). From 1 October 2025, the NPPL(A) has replaced the LAPL(A) as the primary non-international licence.
Obtaining an NPPL is great for those wanting to fly light aircraft recreatively within the UK. Since it requires less flight training hours and exams, getting a NPPL is cheaper and faster than getting a PPL.
The minimum amount of hours of flight training for an NPPL(A) is 32 (although more realistic would be to budget for 35 to 40 hours) and you only need to pass five theoretical exams instead of the nine needed for a PPL. The medical requirements are simpler as well: you need a Pilot Medical Declaration (PMD), (the same standard as needed for a driver’s licence), instead of a more stringent Class 2 medical which is required for a PPL.
Compared to a PPL(A), the NPPL(A) has some restrictions when it comes to where and what you can fly. It only allows you to fly in UK Airspace, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and only light aircraft (weighing up to 2,000kg). Whereas with a PPL you can fly internationally in Single-Engine Piston (SEP) types.
Have an NPPL but want to go flying in France? Or in a heavier aircraft? It’s possible to upgrade your licence to a PPL by adding more flight hours, passing the remaining four theory exams and completing the PPL Skill Test.
Still have your eyes set on becoming a private pilot after reading it’ll cost you between £14,000 and £19,000? Then come back soon to find out where all that money goes.
