Type Rating in India: A320 and 737, Cost and When You Need It
The last step between a commercial pilot licence and an airline cockpit.
Quick answer
A type rating lets you fly one specific aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737. You need it to fly for an airline, on top of your CPL. Cadet programmes include it. Self-funded pilots pay separately, and the fee varies by provider, so get a current written quote before planning your loan.
What is a type rating?
A CPL lets you fly as a commercial pilot on aircraft you are rated for. Airline jets are complex, so each type needs its own rating.
The type rating is added to your licence once you complete the training and the checks.
- It is specific to one aircraft family, such as the A320 family
- It is trained mostly in a full flight simulator
- It ends with a skill test and is followed by line training with the airline
A320 vs Boeing 737: which type rating?
Pick the aircraft flown by the airline you aim to join.
| Aircraft | Indian cadet programme | Where it is covered |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320 | IndiGo | Included in the IndiGo cadet structure |
| Boeing 737 MAX | Akasa SkyCadet | Included in the Akasa structure |
| As assigned | Air India | At Air India affiliated training centres |
Source: IndiGo, Halldale, Air India and Akasa Air releases. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Airbus A320
The A320 family is a short and medium haul jet. In India it is the core of IndiGo's fleet.
Boeing 737
The 737 is the main competitor to the A320. Akasa Air trains its SkyCadets on the 737 MAX.
When do you need a type rating?
- After your CPL. You first need a DGCA CPL, including the theory papers and 200 hours of flying.
- Before line flying. You need the rating before you can fly passengers on that aircraft.
- Timing. Cadets do it at the end of the programme. Others usually do it when an airline hires them or when they choose to self-fund.
See the full route on how to become a pilot in India.
What does type rating training involve?
- Ground school. Aircraft systems, limitations and procedures.
- Fixed base and full flight simulator sessions. Normal, abnormal and emergency procedures.
- Skill test. A check by an examiner in the simulator.
- Base training and line training. Done with the airline after the rating.
On IndiGo's Marigold route the A320 type rating takes about 2 months, after 15 months of CPL training and 4 months of licence conversion.
Cadet vs self-funded type rating
| Cadet programme | Self-funded | |
|---|---|---|
| Who arranges it | The airline and its training partner | You choose a provider |
| Aircraft | The airline's own type | Your choice, which may not match the airline you join |
| Cost | Inside the programme fee | Paid separately, quote varies by provider |
| Risk | Tied to the programme terms | Rating may not help if you join an airline flying another type |
Source: Programme facts from IndiGo, Halldale and Akasa Air releases. Checked on 1 Nov 2026.
Before paying for a self-funded type rating, ask the airlines you plan to apply to whether they hire rated pilots and on which aircraft.
What you need before a type rating
- A DGCA CPL, or a foreign licence converted to DGCA
- A valid DGCA Class 1 medical
- An instrument rating and, for airline jets, multi-engine training
- English proficiency and a valid RTR(A) licence
Check each step on the DGCA exams and DGCA medical guides.
Find the right loan for your training
Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will show you the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
Risks of a self-funded type rating
Paying for a type rating on your own can make sense, but go in with your eyes open.
- Wrong aircraft. An A320 rating does not help with an airline that flies the 737, and the reverse.
- Currency. If you do not fly the type soon after, an airline may ask you to retrain.
- No job link. A rating alone does not come with an airline offer.
- Extra debt. It adds to the loan before you have an income.
Many pilots prefer a cadet programme, where the rating matches the airline from the start.
How to fund a type rating
- Inside a cadet loan. The rating is part of the programme fee, so the loan covers it.
- Inside a CPL loan. Add the rating to the training cost when you apply, so the sanction covers it.
- As a later top up. Possible with some lenders, but harder once training has started. Plan it upfront.
A government bank funds 85% of the cost and you pay 15% yourself (the margin). An NBFC can fund 100%.
How to choose a type rating training centre
- Approval. Confirm the centre and its simulators are approved for a DGCA type rating.
- Simulator level. Ask which full flight simulator you will train on and where it is.
- Slots. Check how soon simulator sessions are available, since waiting adds living costs.
- Airline links. Ask which airlines accept pilots trained there.
- Track record. Ask for recent batch sizes and skill test pass rates.
Checklist for a written type rating quote
- Total fee and the currency it is charged in
- Number of ground school days and simulator hours included
- Skill test and examiner fees, included or extra
- Cost of extra simulator sessions if you need them
- Base training, if offered, and its cost
- Payment schedule and refund terms
- Start date and expected end date
Share this quote with your counsellor so the lender can include it in your sanction.
What this costs
We do not print a single type rating fee because providers do not publish a standard one. Here is what we can confirm:
- IndiGo cadet route: A320 type rating included in a reported total of ₹85 lakh to ₹1.3 crore. The Chimes programme lists ₹1.04 crore.
- Akasa SkyCadet: 737 MAX type rating included, programme fee not published.
- Self-sponsored CPL in India: ₹55 lakh to ₹75 lakh, type rating extra.
- Self-funded type rating: get the current fee in writing from the training partner.
Checked on 30 Oct 2026. Compare the full picture on the pilot training cost page.
How to pay for pilot training
Most families use an education loan. There are three ways to do it, and the right one depends on two things: whether you have property for collateral, and whether a sponsoring airline has given you an LOI.
| Government bankWith property as collateral | NBFC, with an airline LOINo property needed | NBFC, without an LOINo property needed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest rate | Around 9.5%, linked to the RBI repo rate. Around 8.5% if you pay simple interest during the course | Around 11% to 13%, based on income | |
| During training | Nothing to pay (full moratorium), or monthly simple interest for the lower rate | A fixed partial EMI each month | The full EMI on the amount paid out so far |
| After training | Full EMI starts | The same EMI continues | |
| How much is funded | 85% of the fees. You pay 15% yourself (the margin) | 100% of the fees, up to ₹1.5 crore | |
| Processing fee | 1%, refunded later apart from about ₹10,000 | About 1% | |
| Loan insurance | About 1% to 2.5% of the loan | About 2% to 8% of the loan | |
| Co-borrower income | Checked by the bank | A minimum yearly income, set by the loan amount | Monthly income about ₹30,000 more than the EMI |
| Speed | Slow (weeks) | Faster | |
What is an LOI, and why does it matter?
An LOI (Letter of Intent) is a conditional pre-employment letter from a sponsoring airline. It promises you a future role with that airline once you finish training and meet its conditions.
Because a job is lined up, lenders see the loan as low risk. So they offer a partial EMI without collateral: a fixed amount each month during training, with the full EMI only after you finish. Without an LOI, the full EMI starts from the first payment to the school.
Not every government bank gives a full moratorium on pilot training loans, and government banks are usually slow because of property checks. If you need a fast sanction and an easier process, talk to the FundMyCampus team first.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what students and parents ask us about pilot training
Plan your pilot training loan
Tell us where you will train, whether you have property and whether you have an LOI. A counsellor will call you with the loan that fits and what you pay each month.
FundMyCampus is a loan facilitation platform. Loans are sanctioned by the lending bank or NBFC at its discretion. Rates are approximate and change with the RBI repo rate and your profile. We never promise approval or a rate.