Can you be cabin crew at 17?

You must be at least 18 years old to serve as a flight attendant, and more than half of all major airlines require applicants to be at least 19 or 20 years old. At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline.



Generally, the answer is no. Most international and major domestic airlines require a minimum age of 18 or 21 for cabin crew positions due to legal and safety regulations. For example, Singapore Airlines requires applicants to be at least 18, while many Middle Eastern carriers like Emirates and Etihad require a minimum age of 21. The primary reason is that flight attendants are responsible for the safety of passengers and must be legally authorized to serve alcohol and manage emergency situations, which often requires adult legal status. While some vocational training programs or "junior" roles might exist in specific regions, the vast majority of commercial airlines will not consider applicants under 17. In 2026, these standards remain firm to ensure compliance with global aviation safety mandates and labor laws regarding hazardous or safety-sensitive work environments.

People Also Ask

Flight attendants typically need a high school diploma or the equivalent and work experience in customer service. Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, typically 18 or 21; be eligible to work in the United States; have a valid passport; and pass a background check and drug test.

MORE DETAILS

Passengers over the age of 16 may travel without an adult. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. the best seats and in-flight amenities.

MORE DETAILS

How much does a Cabin Crew make? As of Oct 11, 2023, the average monthly pay for a Cabin Crew in the United States is $3,360 a month.

MORE DETAILS

Per the airline's guidelines, visible tattoos aren't allowed while wearing the flight attendant uniform, even if covered by makeup, jewelry or a bandage. The policy prohibits tattoos in areas visible while wearing the cabin crew uniform, such as the face, ears, hands, wrists and neck.

MORE DETAILS

While these are individual airline guidelines, there's still no internationally mandated retirement age for flight attendants, and no country has set any law that imposes a maximum age limit for flight attendants.

MORE DETAILS

Case study. Here is what one of our course community shared about being a mum and cabin crew: “I'm a mother and also cabin crew. I've been working for Ryanair for almost a year and a half and I have a 2 year old daughter.

MORE DETAILS

International travel Some airlines automatically apply the unaccompanied-minor procedures to kids through age 17 on international flights, and charge the standard unaccompanied-minor fee if applicable. Children must usually have the same passport, visa or other international entry documentation required of adults.

MORE DETAILS

Average Flight Attendant Pay vs. Flight Attendants earned an average salary of $62,280 in 2021.

MORE DETAILS

Who can fly alone? Most U.S. airlines will permit children who have reached their fifth birthday to travel unaccompanied.

MORE DETAILS

The estimated total pay for a Cabin Crew at Ryanair is $4,814 per month. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $4,814 per month.

MORE DETAILS

Free flights and travel opportunities
This means many flight attendants can fly for free on their company airlines even when they are not working. Airlines typically offer these free flights on standby, which means the paying customers get on first, and then any extra seats can go to crew members .

MORE DETAILS

Many airlines offer their flight crews, including attendants, various benefits for their employment. Common flight attendant benefits include medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Some airlines may also offer flight attendants travel-related perks like free or discounted flights.

MORE DETAILS

Good news is that yes, you can wear either glasses or contact lenses while working as a Flight Attendant! However, there is some bad news as well. Your vision needs to meet certain standards, so if your vision is too bad without glasses or lenses, unfortunately, airlines won't accept your application.

MORE DETAILS

Age requirements As per Emirates requirements the candidate must be at least 21 years old at the time of joining the company. This does not mean that you could not apply before your 21th birthday.

MORE DETAILS

At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

MORE DETAILS