How to Become a Flight Nurse in 2026: Education, Certification & Salary

What Does a Flight Care Nurse Do?

Flight nurses, also known as flight care nurses or aeromedical nurses, have the high-flying role of providing medical care for patients as they are transported in a helicopter or plane. With many patients coming from severe accidents, flight nurses must be able to provide critical care to keep their patients stable during transportation. As registered nurses, flight nurses need a degree from an accredited institution like Joyce University, as well as additional specialized training and certification.

Because flight nurses respond to accidents, every day brings its own challenges and responsibilities. Flight nurses may provide treatment from basic first aid to resuscitation and everything in between. Their critically ill patients require careful attention and constant monitoring, as the severe conditions that required a flight team could have the patient changing dramatically in an instant. 

As medical professionals working as first responders, flight care nurses are always in demand. They have a healthy average salary across the nation, and their career opportunities are expected to grow as the demand for registered nurses increases. 

If you’re ready for an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career as a flight nurse, keep reading. We’ll explore their day-to-day responsibilities, average salary, career prospects, and how to become a flight nurse. 

Responsibilities & Daily Tasks

Flight nurses usually work for hospitals or private companies where they assist with air ambulance operations. When a severe incident requires fast medical attention, flight nurses will help keep patients stable as they are moved to intensive care units. Air nurses can also help transport patients, supplies, or even donated organs from one facility to another.

A flight nurse’s daily responsibilities might include:

• Monitoring patient vitals and condition
• Providing treatment and medication
• Performing emergency procedures
• Using, preparing, and caring for medical equipment
• Coordinating with flight physicians, paramedics, and pilots
• Recording everything in careful detail

Flight nursing is a uniquely challenging and rewarding field of nursing. Flight nurses generally treat patients in critical condition in a confined, moving aircraft. They must move quickly to provide care, all while dealing with rapidly changing altitude, turbulence, and weather. These challenges can be demanding, but many flight nurses also love the excitement of the role. When you work as a flight nurse, no two shifts are the same.

Where Do Flight Nurses Work?

While airport nurses provide medical treatment at airport facilities, flight nurses work while they are on the aircraft, including helicopters, propeller planes, and jets. Some work for private organizations like hospitals or trauma centers, while others assist government operations with search and rescue or emergency response. Flight nurses also have plenty of opportunities in the U.S. military, as branches like the Air Force need experienced medical staff that can operate under pressure. 

Here are some of the most common settings that employ flight nurses:

• Trauma centers
• Emergency departments
• Organ transplant services
• Search and rescue teams
• Local, state, and federal government
• The U.S. military

Steps to Become a Flight Nurse

Step 1 – Earn Your Nursing Degree (ASN or BSN)

There are a few important requirements to become a flight nurse. As registered nurses, flight nurses need to earn a degree from an accredited institution like Joyce University. A degree demonstrates your knowledge of nursing, pharmacology, anatomy, biology, and more. Accredited nursing programs will prepare you to treat real patients with real problems. If you’re ready to start your career as an flight nurse, you could earn a degree in as little as 20 months.

These programs can help you become a flight nurse:

• Associate of Science in Nursing – A great way to start any nursing career, an associate’s degree covers the knowledge and skills you need to become a registered nurse. While additional training, experience, or certifications can help you secure more specialized roles like flight nursing, you can get an ASN and quickly get experience in real medical settings within 20 months, or 5 semesters. 
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – A bachelor’s degree offers comprehensive coursework and hands-on training to prepare you for a career in nursing. Many organizations that hire flight nurses prefer candidates with a BSN. Most BSN programs take around 3-4 years to complete, but an accelerated program can be done in as little as 20 months.
• Masters of Science in Nursing – While not required for a career in flight nursing, a master’s degree can open doors to more advanced certification, specialized jobs, and careers in leadership and education. For RNs seeking advanced education, many MSN programs can be completed in just 1 year.

Step 2 – Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam & Get Licensed

After earning your degree, there are two major steps to becoming a registered nurse. First, you’ll need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination, or the NCLEX-RN. Then you’ll need to secure a nursing license from your state.

The NCLEX-RN exam showcases your knowledge and skills, demonstrating that you are ready to practice nursing. Your nursing degree will prepare you for the NCLEX, but you should also study and practice.

Each state sets their own requirements for a nursing license, so you’ll want to research what the standards are for the area you want to work in. Generally this process will involve a background check and fingerprinting.

Step 3 – Gain Clinical Experience in Nursing

While a degree and nursing license qualify you as a registered nurse, many organizations prefer that flight nurses have specific experience in similar settings. During your degree, look for volunteer, internship, or shadowing opportunities to gain experience. Once you’re working, positions in trauma centers, emergency rooms, and intensive care units can help you gain experience and skills that will be useful as a flight nurse. These fast-paced environments require quick thinking to provide intensive treatment for patients, a vital skill for flight nurses.

Step 4 – Get Certified in Flight Nursing

With a degree and experience under your belt, additional certifications and training can help you secure the role you want. Certifications in life support, emergency nursing, and critical care show your expertise in the skills that air nurses need to provide care in life and death situations.

Here are some certifications and training to consider:

• BLS Certification – Basic Life Support Certification demonstrates your ability to provide emergency care for patients until they can receive full treatment at a hospital.
• ACLS – Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, or ACLS, provides intensive training in CPR, helping medical professionals manage respiratory or cardiac emergencies.
• PALS – PALS focuses on assessing and managing critically ill or injured infants and children, helping flight nurses respond to pediatric emergencies such as respiratory failure, shock, and cardiac arrest.
• NRP – NRP prepares nurses to support newborns experiencing respiratory or cardiac distress, an important skill set for flight nurses involved in neonatal transport.
• BCEN Certification – The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing validates skills in emergency, transport, and trauma nursing.
• CCRN Certifications – Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certifications demonstrate your ability to provide critical care for patients. There are unique certifications for adult, pediatric, and neonatal nursing.
• CFRN – Becoming a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) shows that you are prepared to provide care in the uniquely challenging environment of a moving aircraft. Often, this certification is gained during your first year working as a flight nurse.

How Much Do Flight Nurses Make?

Flight nurses have strong career prospects and earning potential thanks to a growing demand for qualified medical professionals and first responders. In the United States, the average medevac nurse salary in 2025 is $109,709.

Here are the top 5 highest paying regions for flight nurses:

• Washington – $124,256
• District of Columbia – $123,974
• New York – $120,025
• Massachusetts – $119,815
• Alaska – $118,150

Career Outlook for Flight Nurses

Job Demand & Growth in 2025

There is always a demand for medical professionals, and with an aging population and projected nursing shortages, the U.S. needs tens of thousands of qualified nurses over the coming years. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment of registered nurses will grow 6% between 2023 and 2033, a faster growth rate than most professions. Over that same time, they predict that there will be nearly 200,000 openings for registered nurses each year. While these statistics are for registered nurses in general, flight nursing will likely see similar demand and growth.

Related Specialties & Advanced Roles for Experienced Flight Nurses

Flight nursing is often a long-term career in itself, and many nurses remain in this specialty throughout their careers. That said, the advanced clinical judgment, autonomy, and critical-care expertise developed in flight nursing can also translate well into related leadership, education, or advanced practice roles. For flight nurses interested in expanding their impact beyond direct patient transport, these adjacent paths build on the skills they already use every day.

While many nurses remain in flight nursing long term, the skills developed in this role can also translate to positions such as:

• Clinical Nurse Specialist – Clinical nurse specialists provide care to patients while also focusing on improving overall practices, educating staff, and optimizing patient care. To become a CNS, you do need a master’s degree.
• Nurse Educator – As a nurse educator, you can help train the next generation of flight nurses and emergency medical professionals. Nurse educators develop curriculum to prepare nurses for real world patients.
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – ACNPs provide treatment for patients in critical condition. Like flight nurses, ACNPs typically work in fast-paced environments that require split-second decision making for life or death cases.

Your Path to Becoming a Flight Care Nurse Starts Today

If you want an exciting, challenging career, flight nursing might be for you. Joyce University provides ASN, BSN, and MSN programs to prepare you for a nursing career in as little as 20 months. With convenient online classes and hands-on labs and clinicals, you’ll be prepared for the NCLEX-RN exam and the real medical emergencies you’ll treat as a flight nurse.