International Society of Women Airline Pilots

What International Society of Women Airline Pilots does

The International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21) is a 501(c)-style non-profit membership organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. It serves female commercial airline pilots across more than 90 airlines and 35 countries, positioning itself as a global advocacy and peer community for women in the flight deck. The organization operates four primary revenue streams: individual membership dues at $55/year (with a $40 support tier and $1,000 lifetime option), tiered corporate sponsorships (Bronze $5K, Silver $10K, Gold $25K, and Platinum levels) anchored by major carriers such as Qantas, Alaska Airlines, and Delta, annual conference registrations priced between $265-$305, and donations plus merchandise. Its core programs include 47 consecutive annual conferences, a scholarship program that has awarded over $1.5 million since 1988 (including $50,000 to 10 recipients in 2025), and recognition through the International Forest of Friendship.

Operationally, ISA+21 runs on a lean staff of 1-10 employees, with no proprietary technology platform underlying its service delivery; member engagement is conducted through conferences, mentorship, and program-based events rather than software products. The 2020 rebrand to ISA+21 marked a deliberate modernization effort. The business model is structurally that of a mature non-profit affinity organization: a long-tail individual membership base provides stable but modest dues revenue, while a small set of corporate airline sponsors and annual conference fees constitute the larger revenue lines, with sponsor concentration risk mitigated by multi-tier program design and the breadth of partner carriers.

Name

International Society of Women Airline Pilots

Legal name

International Society of Women Airline Pilots

Website

https://isa21.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21) is a Las Vegas-based non-profit founded in 1978 serving female commercial pilots across 90+ airlines and 35+ countries through membership, advocacy, annual conferences, and a scholarship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDABALAC

Aviation & Aerospace

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)

Keywords

• Professional pilot membership
• Aviation scholarship program
• Women pilot networking
• Pilot professional development
• Aviation community organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from Individual ($55/year), Support ($40/year), and Lifetime ($1,000 one-time) members provide recurring revenue. Aspiring membership is free.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors at Bronze ($5,000), Silver ($10,000), and Gold ($25,000) tiers receive named scholarships, website advertising, eNewsletter placements, and event recognition.
3. Conference Revenue: Annual conferences generate revenue through registration fees ($270-$305 for members/guests), optional activities, and side trips. Conference sponsorships also contribute revenue.
4. Merchandise Sales: The ISA+21 Hangar Store sells branded merchandise including watches, apparel, and accessories through RedBubble. A limited edition watch partnership with The Abingdon Company benefits the scholarship program.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations support the scholarship program. The organization also receives donations through specific fundraising events like the Francesca Norris Memorial Golf Scramble.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ISA+21 is a non-profit membership organization that provides a global community, mentorship, and advanced flight training scholarships for female airline pilots. It offers tiered memberships (Individual, Support, Aspiring, Lifetime), an annual international conference, scholarship programs (Financial, Type Rating, Francesca Norris Memorial, International Conference), recognition programs (Captain's Club, Retiree Club), educational resources, a mentoring program, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

ISA+21 operates as a membership organization offering tiered subscription products: Individual Membership ($55/year), Support Membership ($40/year), Aspiring Membership (free), and Lifetime Membership ($1,000). The organization's core service is its scholarship program encompassing Financial Scholarships ($5,000+), Type Rating Scholarships ($10,000 each), Francesca Norris Memorial Scholarship, and International Conference Scholarship ($5,000). Additional offerings include Captain's Club recognition, Retiree Club, HALPs support program, Annual Conferences, the ISA+21 Hangar merchandise store with branded apparel and limited edition watches, educational resources for career days, and a mentoring program. The products work together to fulfill ISA+21's mission to Inspire, Support, and Advocate for female airline pilots through community building, financial assistance, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.5 million in scholarships awarded since 1988, with $50,000 awarded to 10 recipients in 2025 alone.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and supporting.

• Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerALPA hosted the 2024 Washington DC Conference business meeting at their national headquarters building, with President Captain Jason Ambrosi addressing attendees.
• The Abingdon CompanysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Members Only Limited Edition ISA+21 Watch. Proceeds benefit the scholarship program. Only 21 watches available.
• US Aviation AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproved flight training organization for Francesca Norris Memorial Scholarship recipients for advanced flight instructor training programs.
• Flight Training InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining provider for Type Rating Scholarship winners (B737 or A320 ratings valued at $10,000 each), with locations in Miami, Dallas, and Denver.
• Latino Pilots AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerISA+21 member Captain Claudia Zapata-Cardone serves as LPA President. Organizations co-participate at expo events.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• British Women Pilots' Association: UK-based association for female pilots with scholarships and networking events. Comparable mission and structure but geographically focused on the UK, providing a useful regional comparison point.
• Women in Aviation Australia: Australian nonprofit supporting women in aviation and aerospace. Comparable mission and scholarship programs but regionally focused on Australia/New Zealand, paralleling ISA+21's broader global footprint.

Broad incumbents

• International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations: Global federation of national pilot associations representing pilot interests worldwide. ISA+21 maintains an IFALPA representative role, positioning IFALPA as an adjacent institutional peer.
• Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA): Largest airline pilot union in the world, representing pilots at major U.S. carriers. Not a women-specific organization but operates comparable diversity initiatives and is an active ISA+21 partner hosting conferences and advocacy.

Direct peers

• Women in Aviation International: Major nonprofit supporting women in all aviation careers, hosting a large annual conference. Comparable as a membership organization serving the same broad diversity mission and competing for similar corporate sponsorship and member attention.
• National Gay Pilots Association: Community organization supporting LGBTQ+ aviation professionals. Comparable as a niche, identity-focused aviation membership organization with networking events, scholarships, and corporate partnerships.
• Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals: Nonprofit focused on increasing diversity in aviation through scholarships, mentoring, and outreach. Comparable mission (diversity in aviation careers) and comparable scale of operations, with a different demographic focus.
• Latino Pilots Association: U.S.-based nonprofit supporting Latino pilots and aspiring aviators, with which ISA+21 already co-participates at expos. Comparable as a community-driven aviation diversity organization with similar scale and corporate sponsor profile.
• The Ninety-Nines, Inc. International organization of women pilots founded in 1929, with broader scope than ISA+21 (all female pilots, not just airline pilots). Most directly comparable as a global women-in-aviation membership organization with chapters, conferences, and scholarship programs.

Emerging players

• Women in Aerospace: Professional organization supporting women in the broader aerospace industry (engineering, operations, piloting). Comparable as a professional membership organization with adjacent scope to ISA+21's airline pilot focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isa21_pilots
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1nvaEH4M-KUyQRm232GpRw
• Facebookfacebook.com/theinternationalsocietyofwomenairlinepilots
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isa21
• Instagraminstagram.com/intlwomenairlinepilots
• TikToktiktok.com/@intlwomenairlinepilots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Society of Women Airline Pilots