Captain James T. Kirk was technically an Admiral in Star Trek longer than he was Captain of the Enterprise - unless one counts Star Trek Generations. Introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series, Kirk was the first Starfleet hero to command the Starship Enterprise audiences met. Though there have been other Enterprise Captains since, and a few retconned before Kirk, William Shatner's Star Trek icon is still best known as Captain Kirk instead of Admiral Kirk.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture revealed that after the USS Enterprise's historic five-year mission in Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Kirk was promoted to Rear Admiral and named Chief of Starfleet Operations. Yet Kirk yearned to be back in his beloved Enterprise's Captain's chair, and he engineered events to achieve that goal. Admiral Kirk commanded the USS Enterprise until he was demoted back to Captain. Afterward, Kirk spent the remainder of his life and Starfleet career as Captain, and Jim's time as Admiral Kirk seems more like an asterisk.
Kirk Was A Starfleet Admiral Longer Than He Was Enterprise Captain
Admiral Kirk Had A Long Run Before He Was Demoted
Chronologically, James T. Kirk held the rank of Rear Admiral longer than he was a starship Captain. Kirk became a flag officer in 2270 upon completion of the USS Enterprise's five-year mission. Kirk remained Admiral until he was demoted at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, in 2286. This means Kirk was Admiral for 16 consecutive years before he resumed his Captaincy, this time on the USS Enterprise-A.
Kirk Was Technically A Captain For Much Longer Thanks To Star Trek Generations
Thank The Nexus For Kirk Living Into The 24th Century
Star Trek Generations muddies the waters as to how long James T. Kirk was actually Captain. When Kirk was caught in the Nexus, the other-dimensional space ribbon plunged him outside normal space and time. Kirk left the Nexus with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and arrived in the 24th century in 2371 - 78 years after Kirk vanished from the 23rd century. Therefore, adding his time in the Nexus, Kirk was Captain for a total of 90 years.
Of course, had Captain Kirk lived through the end of Star Trek Generations, he wouldn't feel like he was Captain for 90 years. Thanks to the bizarre nature of the Nexus, Kirk reckoned he was only in the fantasy realm for a few minutes before Captain Picard arrived and talked him into helping save Veridian III. To Kirk, it was still 2293, and he was just aboard the USS Enterprise-B commanded by Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck).
Why Kirk Is More Famous As A Captain Than As An Admiral
History Remembers Kirk As Captain Of The Enterprise
Just as Admiral Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), told his father that "history remembers you with one less pip," in Star Trek: Picard season 3, James T. Kirk is forever best known as Captain Kirk and not Admiral Kirk. 79 episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series that have been airing on television constantly for nearly 60 years, and three Star Trek movies, depict Jim as Captain Kirk. By contrast, Admiral Kirk was only known as such in four Star Trek movies.
Kirk's own preference and sense of self is his 12 years as Captain of the Enterprise.
