How to Become Cabin Crew

Do you meet the basic requirements?

Requirements vary slightly by airline, but the essentials are remarkably consistent across the major carriers. Confirm the exact criteria on each airline’s careers site before you apply.

Step by step: from application to first flight

The journey looks the same at almost every airline. Each stage is a filter, so treat all of them — including the photo and the group exercise — as part of the interview.

1. Research & prepareLearn the airline, draft 2–3 real STAR stories and practise common questions out loud.
2. Polish your CV & photoA clean, error-free CV and a professional, grooming-standard photo. Many candidates are cut here.
3. Apply onlineSubmit through the airline’s official careers portal.
4. Video / phone interviewA short recorded or live interview testing English, warmth and motivation.
5. Assessment dayGroup exercises, the reach test and an English check — recruiters watch how you treat others.
6. Final interviewA one-to-one interview about your motivation and real STAR examples.
7. Offer, medical & trainingThe job offer, medical checks, visa and several weeks of paid initial safety and service training.

What airlines actually look for

Beyond the requirements, recruiters assess personality and fit. Demonstrate these throughout every stage, not just in the interview room.

How long does it take, and do you need experience?

From application to a job offer typically takes a few weeks to a few months, depending on the airline’s recruitment cycle, followed by several weeks of initial training before you fly.

You do not need aviation experience or a degree. Customer-facing roles (retail, hospitality, healthcare) help you tell strong STAR stories, but airlines hire and fully train people from every background — they care about attitude, not your CV’s job titles.

Salary and base city by carrier

Cabin crew salary is a package rather than a single wage. At the major Gulf carriers, new crew earn a total of roughly AED 9,000–11,000 per month (≈ €2,300–2,800) — tax-free — split across a fixed basic salary, hourly flying pay and an overseas layover allowance. On top of that, airlines provide shared furnished accommodation, transport to and from every flight, medical and dental cover, concessional flight tickets and 30 days paid leave with a return ticket home.

The tax-free element is the deciding factor for many candidates from Europe. A ~€2,500 tax-free take-home with rent covered stretches far further than a comparable gross salary in a taxed country. For a full breakdown of the numbers and benefits, read our detailed guide on the Emirates cabin crew salary and package.

A day in the life

A long-haul day typically starts with the crew pickup from home ~2 hours before report time, then a team briefing that covers safety, service and grooming checks. Boarding begins about 90 minutes before departure, followed by pre-flight cabin checks and welcoming every passenger.

In the air, service alternates with constant cabin care: meals, drinks, duty-free, safety walk-throughs and helping passengers who need it. On long-haul routes crew take rotated rest breaks in the onboard crew bunk. On landing, you clear customs and check into the layover hotel — where a day of rest or exploring the destination is yours.

The lifestyle trades regular office hours for irregular but generous days off, jet lag for global travel, and desk boredom for a job where every day is different. Not everyone loves it forever — but few careers reward preparation as directly as this one.

What if you don't get in the first time?

Not passing an assessment day is the normal outcome, not the end. Most people who attend do not progress, and being cut says far more about the number of seats than about your worth. Gulf carriers typically ask unsuccessful candidates to wait roughly six months before reapplying.

Use that time to fix the one specific gate that closed on you. If the group task ended your day, drill the phrasebank and rehearse group scenarios until contributing feels natural. If the English test did, follow a structured plan to lift your reading and grammar to a confident B1+. If the final interview did, build a stronger, more varied STAR story bank. Candidates who reapply with one specific, fixed weakness pass at a far higher rate than those who simply try again.

Frequently asked questions

Keep preparing