Adopt-A-Pilot®

Welcome to Adopt-A-Pilot

The Southwest® Adopt-A-Pilot (AAP) Program has inspired thousands of fifth-grade students across the country through fun, STEM-centered activities, and experiments since 1997. The program connects Southwest Pilots with classrooms to engage students in fun, aviation-related lessons that define a plan for future success and spark an interest in careers in aviation.

It's very gratifying to build the children’s confidence to believe in themselves, choose their goals, and have the tenacity to achieve their dreams. At the same time, I emphasize being kind, grateful, and honest. Real-world experience helps spark their math, science, and geography from a rote level to a correlation level of learning.

I love giving back; through listening and engaging with the children and I often gain more from them!  

- Nancy Martin-Belitz, Southwest Airlines Pilot and Adopt-A-Pilot Ambassador

How Adopt-A-Pilot Works

Each school year, students in more than 1,500 classrooms across the country will “adopt” Southwest’s Pilots, giving our passionate aviators opportunities to mentor students in and around the fifth-grade level. As part of the Adopt-A-Pilot Program, students will also research careers and further develop life skills, while the importance of staying in school is reinforced along with the importance of life values. Southwest is pleased to offer these opportunities at no cost to participating schools.

How to Participate

Thank you for your interest in the Adopt-A-Pilot Program. Registration is now open. Teachers may submit a request for an AAP class using the link below.

Teacher Registration


Please note: We do our best to match Pilots with interested schools. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that we will have an available Pilot in your community. If we cannot provide a Pilot, please feel free to use the curriculum and resources available to engage your students in STEM-centered activities and fun aviation-related lessons and videos. We’d love to see you back next year!

If you have questions, please email the Adopt-a-Pilot Crew at adoptapilot@wnco.com.

We are looking forward to another great year!

Curriculum & Educational Resources

Classroom Videos

Adopt-A-Pilot in the classroom
This video introduces the Adopt-A-Pilot Program, helps Pilots connect with the students, and provides an overview of what students will learn.
Watch the video.



Curriculum

  • AAP
  • Games
  • Handouts


    • Educational Resources

    Expand your mind, jump into online activities, and explore the wild blue yonder with these exciting “Continue to Learn” resources. You can find supplements to the Adopt-A-Pilot curriculum, click on great educational links, learn about Adopt-A-Pilot online, and more.

  • Careers in aviation

    • Need more info?
    View the full list of Adopt-A-Pilot Q&As in our Help Center.

    The Southwest Airlines One Report

    Explore our annual corporate social responsibility report, the Southwest Airlines One Report. This integrated citizenship report covers significant social, economic, and environmental stories, as well as data tables, and reporting frameworks, all through the lens of corporate Citizenship. Our disclosures are informed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Check out the One Report