File: 649944018_880295118337421_3226100337936617116_n.jpg (465.3 KB)

465.3 KB JPG

When Chresten Wilson was 12 years old, she and her mom drove past United Airlines' Flight Training Center in Denver. She looked at the building and told her mom: "I'll be there someday."

This year, she became the No. 1 most senior pilot across the entire airline, the highest position on United's pilot seniority list. She is the first woman in the airline's history to hold that honor. Wilson currently flies as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner captain, one of the most prestigious positions in the fleet.

At an airline with over 13,000 pilots, reaching the top of the seniority list takes decades of dedication, skill, and persistence. In the airline world, seniority is everything. It determines what aircraft you fly, what routes you get, what schedule you hold, and when you take vacation. Reaching No. 1 means you have been with the airline longer than every other active pilot on the roster.

United shared the moment on social media for International Women's Day, showing Captain Wilson at the gate in her uniform, clearly emotional. The post has been liked by Boeing and has received more than 42,000 likes.

From a 12-year-old girl with a dream to the most senior pilot at one of the world's largest airlines. That is what determination looks like.