DRIVING THE NEWS: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces the Most Successful Recruitment Launch for Air Traffic Controllers in FAA History
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received a record-breaking number of applicants interested in a career in air traffic control (ATC). During a single 24-hour application window which is now closed, the FAA received 12,350 applications—10,779 of which were qualified. This number is more than double the agency’s previous first-day record. Under Secretary Duffy, qualified applicants are being processed seven times faster than last year. What would have taken three months is now happening immediately.
This follows the Secretary’s year-long effort to supercharge ATC hiring and the debut of the Department’s campaign to recruit the next generation of controllers.
USDOT’s one-of-a-kind recruitment initiative targeted gamers to join the air traffic controller workforce for their unique and transferable skillset, including high cognitive functions, spatial awareness, multitasking, and strategy and problem solving.
Learn more about Secretary Duffy’s campaign to supercharge
air traffic control hiring HERE.
Watch USDOT’s “It’s not a Game. It’s a Career.” ad HERE.
Under President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s leadership, USDOT has:
- Reached its highest staffing levels in six years
- Staffed towers with approximately 11,000 controllers and have more than 4,000 trainees in the pipeline
- Hired nearly 2,400 controllers since last March–a record
- Recruited 20% more controllers in 2025 than 2024
- Graduated the largest-ever monthly class from the FAA Academy in August 2025
- Shaved more than five months off the time-to-hire process for controller applicants
- Incentivized controllers nearing retirement to continue on with significant bonuses as well as awarded cash awards to new hires