Using a 529 Plan for Flight Training

Big news for aspiring pilots: as of August 2025, federal legislation officially expanded 529 College Savings Plans to cover postsecondary credentialing programs — including FAA pilot certificates and ratings. You no longer need to enroll in a college degree program to use your 529 funds for flight training.

This means families who have been saving in a 529 plan can now use those funds to pay for flight training at Parrish Aviation without worrying about tax penalties or needing to route funds through a university partner.

Under the expanded 529 rules, qualified expenses for FAA flight training at an approved Part 141 school typically include:

• Aircraft Rental & Fuel: The cost of flying the airplane during training flights.
• Flight Instruction Fees: Dual instruction time with your CFI toward FAA certificates and ratings.
• Ground School: Required academic training tied to your certificate or rating curriculum.
• FAA Exam & Checkride Fees: Written test fees and examiner fees for practical tests.
• Required Materials: Charts, logbooks, headsets, and other required training materials.

*Note: Every 529 plan is administered differently. We recommend consulting with your plan administrator and a qualified tax professional to confirm how your specific plan handles these withdrawals.

Parrish Aviation is an FAA Part 141 certified flight school, which means our structured training programs are already organized to meet FAA approval standards — making them well-positioned to qualify as credentialing programs under the 2025 529 expansion.

Programs that may be covered include:

The process is straightforward:

1. Contact your 529 plan administrator and let them know you intend to use funds for FAA flight training at an approved Part 141 school. Ask specifically about the 2025 credentialing expansion.
2. Reach out to Parrish Aviation so we can provide any documentation needed — including our Part 141 certification, training syllabi, and program outlines.
3. Request a withdrawal from your 529 account. Depending on your plan, funds may be sent directly to Parrish Aviation or reimbursed to you upon receipt submission.
4. Begin training at our Dallas or Fort Worth locations on your chosen program.

Many students use 529 funds alongside other financing options to cover the full cost of training. At Parrish Aviation, you can combine your 529 plan with: