You do not need previous experience, a degree, or any aviation background to become cabin crew. Most airlines hire entry level crew with no experience at all and train you from scratch once you are hired. What they actually screen for is simpler than people expect: that you are old enough, speak English fluently, can reach the overhead safety equipment, can swim, and have the legal right to work at the base you apply to. Get those right and the rest comes down to preparation.
Updated 28 June 2026. The requirements below are cross checked against current airline careers pages and AeroScout's live cabin crew listings.
Do you really need experience to become cabin crew?
For most airlines, no. Cabin crew is one of the few skilled, well travelled careers you can still step into with no industry background, because the airline trains you itself after you are hired. Jet2 and many Gulf carriers ask for no prior experience at all. A few, such as easyJet, prefer a short spell of customer facing work, often around three months, but that can be retail, hospitality, care, or any role where you dealt with the public. Experience helps your application stand out, but its absence is not what stops people. Preparation is.
The real requirements at a glance
Here is the honest baseline across most major airlines in 2026. Airlines vary, and you can see ten of them compared side by side in our guide to cabin crew requirements by airline.
| Requirement | What most airlines expect |
|---|---|
| Experience | None for most carriers. A few prefer a few months of customer facing work. |
| Minimum age | Usually 18, occasionally 21. Many airlines set no upper limit. |
| Education | No degree. Secondary or high school level is typical. |
| English | Fluent spoken English. A second language is a bonus, not a must. |
| Reach and height | A vertical reach of around 210 cm on tiptoes. Some airlines state a minimum height near 157 cm and an upper limit near 190 cm instead. |
| Swimming | Swim around 25 metres unaided, tread water and board a life raft. |
| Right to work | The legal right to work at the base you apply to. This is the real gate. |
| Medical | Pass an aviation medical. Vision can usually be corrected with glasses or lenses. |
| Appearance | Well presented and professional. Grooming and tattoo rules vary by airline. |
The requirement that catches most people out is not a skill at all. It is the right to work at the base you apply to. A role based in Dubai, London or Lisbon is only open to you if you can legally work there, so it pays to filter for bases that match your passport or visa before you spend time applying. You can browse current openings on our cabin crew jobs page and narrow to a country or city that fits.
How to become cabin crew, step by step
- Check the baseline. Confirm you meet the age, reach, swimming and right to work requirements above before anything else. These are pass or fail, so there is no point applying where you do not yet qualify.
- Build a customer service story. Recruiters want evidence that you can stay calm, work in a team and look after people under pressure. Pull examples from any job, volunteering or study where you dealt with the public, and put them at the top of your CV.
- Pick the right airlines and bases. Shortlist carriers that recruit where you can legally work. If you are in Britain, that means UK based crew roles at airlines like Jet2, easyJet, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Ryanair. See live UK roles on our cabin crew jobs UK page, or look across Europe and the Middle East.
- Apply direct to the airline. You almost never need an agency, and you should not pay one to apply on your behalf. Every listing on AeroScout links straight to the airline's own application.
- Pass the online stage. Most airlines start with an online application, a short aptitude test and a recorded video interview where you answer a few set questions to camera. Treat the video like a real interview: tidy background, good light, smart clothes, and answers you have practised out loud.
- Get through the assessment day. Strong candidates are invited to a group assessment, in person or online. Expect group exercises, a role play or two, and a check of your reach and how you fit the jump seat harness. Airlines are watching how you work with others, not whether you are the loudest in the room.
- Final interview and checks. A one to one interview is followed by reference checks, a background and criminal record check, and the paperwork for an airside pass. Be ready to account for any gaps in your history, as aviation vetting is thorough.
- Complete initial training. Once hired you complete the airline's own training course, usually three to six weeks, covering safety, first aid, emergency procedures and service. Jet2, for example, runs a four week course approved by the regulator. Pass it and you fly.
What the assessment day is actually like
The assessment day is where most places are won or lost, and it is less about polished answers than about how you behave around other people. Airlines use group tasks to see whether you listen, include the quieter members and stay positive when a task goes sideways. There is usually a short role play of a passenger situation, a quick reach or height check, and a chance for them to see your grooming and presentation up close. Arrive early, dress as if you already have the job, learn a few facts about the airline, and be the person others in your group are glad to have on their team. That single quality, being easy to work with under mild pressure, is what they are really buying.
How long it takes and what it pays
From first application to your first flight is commonly one to three months, though it can be quicker when an airline is recruiting hard for a summer season. Starting pay is usually a modest basic salary topped up by flight pay, onboard sales commission and allowances, which together lift the real total well above the headline basic. It varies widely by airline and base, from the low twenties of thousands a year at European low cost carriers to considerably more at Gulf and long haul carriers, where housing and generous allowances are often included. Each listing on AeroScout shows the airline's own advertised figure where it is published, so you can compare before you apply.
Do you need to pay for a cabin crew course?
No. You do not need to buy a private cabin crew course or qualification to get hired. Airlines run their own training after they take you on, and they do not expect you to arrive with it. Short preparation courses exist and some people find them useful for interview practice, but they are optional, they are not a shortcut past the airline's own process, and no course can promise you a job. Spend your money carefully and treat any provider that guarantees employment with suspicion.
How to stand out when you have no experience
- Lead with customer service. Frame every example around looking after people, solving problems and staying calm.
- Polish your presentation. Neat grooming and a professional photo and video set the tone before you say a word.
- Learn the airline. Know its bases, its fleet and its style, and say why you want that airline specifically.
- Practise out loud. Rehearse common questions for the video and interview so you sound natural rather than scripted.
- Add a language if you can. Even basic competence in a second language helps with international and Gulf carriers.
- Apply widely and keep going. Assessment days are competitive, so a rejection is rarely the end. Many crew were turned down once before they were hired.
Frequently asked questions
Can you become cabin crew with no experience?
Yes. Most airlines hire entry level cabin crew with no aviation experience and train you after you are hired. They look for customer service aptitude, fluent English, the right to work and the flexibility to work shifts, nights and weekends rather than a particular CV.
What disqualifies you from becoming cabin crew?
The common blockers are being under the minimum age, having no legal right to work at the base, being unable to reach the overhead safety equipment or fit the jump seat harness, being unable to swim the required distance, and failing the aviation medical or the background check. Visible tattoos that an airline does not permit can also rule out specific carriers.
How tall do you have to be to be cabin crew?
Most airlines test reach rather than height. The usual standard is a vertical reach of around 210 cm on tiptoes so you can operate the overhead lockers and safety equipment. Some carriers set a minimum height instead, often around 157 cm, with an upper limit near 190 cm.
Do you need to speak another language?
No. Fluent spoken English is the core requirement. A second language is a real advantage, especially with Gulf and long haul carriers, but it is rarely mandatory for entry level roles.
How much do cabin crew earn when starting out?
Entry level pay is usually a basic salary plus flight pay, onboard sales commission and allowances. Totals vary widely by airline and base, from the low twenties of thousands a year at European low cost carriers to more at Gulf and long haul carriers, often with housing or daily allowances on top.
Can older applicants become cabin crew?
Yes. Many airlines, including easyJet, set no upper age limit. As long as you meet the medical, reach and right to work requirements, age is not a barrier to starting as cabin crew.
Ready to apply?
If you meet the baseline, the best next step is to see who is hiring right now. Browse live cabin crew jobs from airlines worldwide, see UK cabin crew roles if you are based in Britain, and check exactly what each carrier asks for in our guide to cabin crew requirements by airline. Every listing links straight to the airline, so you apply direct with no agency in the middle.