Most career-track pilots earn the instrument rating first, because commercial pilots without one face significant limits on paid flying. Our instrument rating requirements checklist shows what you need to start.
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Instrument Rating vs
Commercial Pilot License
You just passed your private pilot checkride. Here is how the two next steps compare, and which one to start first.
Two Next Steps.
One Usually Comes First.
After your private pilot certificate, the two most common next steps are the instrument rating and the commercial pilot certificate. They answer different needs. The instrument rating lets you fly under instrument flight rules (IFR) and in weather below visual minimums. The commercial certificate allows certain flying for compensation or hire.
Many career-track pilots follow the order private, instrument, commercial, then instructor ratings and the airline path. That order is common for a practical reason: commercial pilots without an instrument rating face significant limits on paid flying, and the precision you build in instrument training carries into every commercial maneuver.
Pilots who fly only for personal travel often stop at the instrument rating. Either way, your goal decides the order, and our team can help you set it.
- Instrument rating: fly in the clouds and through the marine layer under IFR.
- Commercial pilot certificate: the base credential for many paid flying jobs.
- Common order: instrument first, then commercial, for most career-track pilots.
Side by Side:
Instrument vs Commercial
Here is how the two compare on the questions private pilots ask us most.
| Criteria | Instrument Rating | Commercial Pilot License |
|---|---|---|
| What you earn | A rating added to your pilot certificate | A new pilot certificate |
| What it lets you do | Fly under IFR and in weather below visual minimums | Certain flying for compensation or hire |
| Minimum starting point | Current private pilot certificate | Private pilot certificate, age 18 to receive it |
| Key FAA experience | 40 hours instrument time, 50 hours cross-country PIC | 250 total flight hours for many airplane applicants |
| Typical ActivePILOT timeline | About 2 to 3 months | About 1 to 2 months, plus time building |
| Program investment | $16,078 - $17,350 | $9,017 - $9,975, time building billed separately |
| FAA knowledge test | ✓ | ✓ |
| Checkride with an examiner | ✓ | ✓ |
| Best fit | Every pilot who wants weather flexibility, and career pilots as the next step | Career pilots who already hold an instrument rating |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The cross-country hours you fly for the instrument rating also count toward your total time, which moves you closer to the 250 hours many commercial applicants need.
Our Instrument Rating program runs $16,078 to $17,350 and our Commercial Pilot program runs $9,017 to $9,975, with time building billed separately. Our instrument rating cost breakdown explains where the money goes.
A commercial certificate is the credential for flying for compensation or hire, but without an instrument rating the paid flying you can do is significantly limited. Most employers also expect it.
Most of our instrument students finish in about 2 to 3 months. Our commercial program takes about 1 to 2 months once you have the required hours. See our instrument rating timeline for the week-by-week view.
Which One
Should You Start?
Choose the instrument rating first if you are on a career track, if you want to fly in Los Angeles weather without canceling trips, or if you are still short on cross-country hours. You build hours and precision at the same time.
Choose the commercial certificate next if you already hold an instrument rating and have close to the hours required. Our Commercial Pilot program picks up where instrument training ends, and our Zero-1500 program covers the full airline route.
Both programs are pay as you go, with no large deposit to start, and financing is available through Stratus Financial, AOPA Financing, and Columbia Bank.
- Career track, no instrument rating yet: start with the instrument rating.
- Personal flying in LA weather: the instrument rating is your next step.
- Instrument rated with the hours: move on to the commercial certificate.
Still Not Sure?
Talk To Our Team
Tell us your goal and your schedule, and a member of our Van Nuys team will point you to the right option.