Compare flight training loans,
side by side.
A sticker price is not a payment. Put AOPA, Sallie Mae, Stratus Financial, and your own quote on one screen, monthly payment and the total interest that sits on top of what you borrow.
Not sure? Estimate your training cost.
One rate across all lenders, so the comparison isolates their terms. Your real rate is credit-based. AOPA publishes 11.74%–13.74%.
Your target. Each lender is capped to the longest term it actually offers.
AOPA Flexible Aviation Loan A revolving line of credit usable at any school, for any certificate or rating. | Sallie Mae Airline Career Loan For professional pilot programs. Long term and a generous in-school grace period. | Sallie Mae Undergraduate Flight Loan For flight training inside a degree-granting aviation program. Degree programs only | Stratus Financial Dedicated flight-training lender. Finances up to 100% of training cost. Partner schools | Your quote Drop in a Stratus, Meritize, or school-plan offer. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthlybegins after grace | $325Lowest | $366 | $346 | $346 | — |
| Total interest | $9,293Least | $12,770 | $11,032 | $11,032 | — |
| Total repaid | $27,293 on $18,000 borrowed | $30,770 on $18,000 borrowed | $29,032 on $18,000 borrowed | $29,032 on $18,000 borrowed | — |
| Term | 7 yr | 7 yr | 7 yr | 7 yr | 7 yr |
| Grace periodinterest still accrues | none | 12 mo | 6 mo | 6 mo | mo |
| Borrow cap | $20,000 | none | none | none | none |
| Lender's rate | 11.74%–13.74% APR (published range) | from ~10.82% APR (lender example, fixed) | ~17.4%–17.5% APR (lender examples, fixed) | credit-based | your rate |
| Eligibility | Any flight school | Any flight school | Degree programs only | Partner schools | Any |
| Source | AOPA Aviation Finance as of 2026-06 | Sallie Mae flight school loans as of 2026-06 | Sallie Mae flight school loans as of 2026-06 | Stratus Financial as of 2026-06 | your offer |
AOPA: A line of credit, so you pay interest only on what you actually draw. The figure here assumes the full amount is drawn up front; drawing gradually as you train means less interest. Caps at $20,000.
Sallie Mae (Career): Rate is credit-based, so the comparison uses your assumed APR. The 12-month grace applies to applicants after July 2, 2025. A long term lowers the monthly but raises total interest.
Sallie Mae (Degree): Only for training that is part of an accredited degree program. Rate is credit-based, so the comparison uses your assumed APR.
Stratus: Private flight-training loan, up to 100% of cost with no fixed cap, repaid over 5 to 15 years. The grace period varies (commonly 6 to 12 months) and an origination fee may apply. Rate is credit-based and not published, so the comparison uses your assumed rate.
AOPA Flexible Aviation Loan
A revolving line of credit usable at any school, for any certificate or rating.
Monthly
$325/mo
Total interest
$9,293
Total repaid $27,293 on $18,000 borrowed
Lender's rate: 11.74%–13.74% APR (published range). The comparison uses your assumed rate above; your actual rate is credit-based.
A line of credit, so you pay interest only on what you actually draw. The figure here assumes the full amount is drawn up front; drawing gradually as you train means less interest. Caps at $20,000.
Terms from AOPA Aviation Finance, as of 2026-06.
Sallie Mae Airline Career Loan
For professional pilot programs. Long term and a generous in-school grace period.
Monthly
$366/mo
Total interest
$12,770
Total repaid $30,770 on $18,000 borrowed
Lender's rate: from ~10.82% APR (lender example, fixed). The comparison uses your assumed rate above; your actual rate is credit-based.
Rate is credit-based, so the comparison uses your assumed APR. The 12-month grace applies to applicants after July 2, 2025. A long term lowers the monthly but raises total interest.
Terms from Sallie Mae flight school loans, as of 2026-06.
Sallie Mae Undergraduate Flight Loan
For flight training inside a degree-granting aviation program.
Monthly
$346/mo
Total interest
$11,032
Total repaid $29,032 on $18,000 borrowed
Lender's rate: ~17.4%–17.5% APR (lender examples, fixed). The comparison uses your assumed rate above; your actual rate is credit-based.
Only for training that is part of an accredited degree program. Rate is credit-based, so the comparison uses your assumed APR.
Terms from Sallie Mae flight school loans, as of 2026-06.
Stratus Financial
Dedicated flight-training lender. Finances up to 100% of training cost.
Monthly
$346/mo
Total interest
$11,032
Total repaid $29,032 on $18,000 borrowed
Private flight-training loan, up to 100% of cost with no fixed cap, repaid over 5 to 15 years. The grace period varies (commonly 6 to 12 months) and an origination fee may apply. Rate is credit-based and not published, so the comparison uses your assumed rate.
Terms from Stratus Financial, as of 2026-06.
Your quote
Got an offer from Stratus, Meritize, your school, or anyone else? Enter it to compare it head to head on $18,000.
Term follows the 7 yr you set in “Pay it off in” above.
Enter your quoted APR to see how it stacks up.
The comparison applies one assumed rate to every lender so the difference you see is their structure (term, grace period, borrowing cap), not the rate. Your actual APR is set by each lender from your credit. Figures assume the full amount is borrowed up front and use standard amortized-loan math.
There is usually no single winner: a longer term lowers the monthly payment but raises total interest, and a shorter term does the opposite. A longer grace period defers your payments but adds interest too. That is why two lenders can match on rate, amount, and term and still differ in total. Pick the shortest term whose payment you can comfortably carry. A lender that cannot fund the full amount is shown for reference but left out of the badges.
PilotBound is a calculator, not a lender, broker, or financial adviser, and earns no referral fees. Confirm current rates and terms with the lender before you borrow.
Other lenders to get a quote from, then drop the offer into the “Your quote” card:
- Meritize — Skills-based education lender; confirm flight-training eligibility for your program.
- Your school's in-house plan — Many academies offer payment plans; often shorter term, sometimes low or no interest.
The cheapest loan is the one you finish fast.
Every extra hour past the estimate is more borrowed and more interest. PilotBound projects your cost to the certificate and tracks every dollar against it, so the amount you finance does not quietly creep.
Scan to download on your iPhoneFor planning only, shown in USD. PilotBound is not a lender, broker, or financial adviser and earns no referral fees. Rates and terms vary by lender and by your credit; always confirm current terms with the lender before you borrow.
What a grace period does to your loan
A grace period is a stretch after you finish training when no loan payment is due, usually meant to carry you until you are hired and earning. It helps your cash flow, but it is not free.
An example
The same $20,000 loan at 12.74% over a 7-year term, with and without a 12-month grace period.
No grace
$361/mo
starting right away
Total interest: ~$10,300
12-month grace
$407/mo
after a payment-free year
Total interest: ~$14,200
The grace bought a payment-free first year, but the interest that built up during it pushed the total about $3,900 higher. That is the trade: breathing room now in exchange for more interest over the life of the loan.
We don't sell loans. We just do the math.
The payment and the interest
Lenders lead with the monthly payment. We show that, then the total interest right beside it, because borrowing $90K over fifteen years can cost far more than the sticker.
Real, dated terms
Each lender's published terms are labeled with the date we recorded them. Rates move, so we tell you when a number is from rather than pretending it is permanent.
Deferred is not free
If a loan defers payments while you train, interest still accrues and gets added to your balance. We show that grace-period interest as its own line so nothing hides.
Borrow around a real number, not a guess.
A loan comparison is only as honest as the amount you put in it. Estimate your true cost to the certificate first, then let PilotBound track every dollar against it as you fly, so what you borrow stays grounded in reality.
Scan to download on your iPhoneHow paying for flight training really works.
Can you finance flight training?
Yes. The common routes are a dedicated aviation loan (AOPA offers a line of credit up to $20,000), a flight school loan from a lender like Sallie Mae for professional or degree programs, in-house school payment plans, or a general personal loan. Each has different rates, terms, and grace periods, which is exactly what this calculator compares.
How much is a flight training loan per month?
It depends on three things: how much you borrow, your interest rate, and the term. As a rough anchor, $20,000 at about 12.7% over five years is roughly $450 a month. Use the calculator above for your exact number, and watch the total-interest line, because that is the part lenders rarely lead with.
What credit score do I need for a flight school loan?
It varies by lender. AOPA's aviation loan lists a minimum credit score around 660. Lender rates are credit-based, so a stronger score means a lower APR and a smaller total cost. If your score is thin, a co-signer often unlocks a better rate.
Should I finance my flight training?
Borrowing makes training possible for a lot of people, but it is not free. On a long term, the interest can add thousands on top of what you borrow, and that is before any hours past the estimate. The honest move is to look at the monthly payment and the total interest together, then keep the borrowed amount as small as you can by finishing efficiently.
Does interest add up during training if payments are deferred?
Usually yes. Many flight loans have an in-school grace period before payments begin, but interest still accrues during that time and is added to your balance. That is why this calculator shows grace-period interest as its own line. Deferred is not the same as free.
Is the GI Bill or a scholarship a better option than a loan?
If you qualify, free money beats borrowing every time. VA benefits and aviation scholarships can cover a meaningful share of training cost, though the eligibility rules are specific. We are building dedicated tools for both. For now, exhaust grants and scholarships first, then size a loan around what is left.