With travel expected to peak for the summer, airlines are frantically hiring in an effort to prevent the challenges faced last year: when air travel bounced back quicker than expected and airlines were caught understaffed. United Airlines, which has already hired 7,000 workers this year, plans to hire an additional 15,000 by the end of the year.

The airline, which had about 93,000 workers at the start of 2023, projects that by 2026 it will need to add another 50,000 to its workforce.

“We are in hiring mode here at United Airlines,” said Kate Gebo, the United Airlines’ Executive Vice President of Human Resources.

Officials of the airline believe they already have enough pilots to prepare for summer travel.