Can you be cabin crew at 18?

How old do you have to be to become a flight attendant? 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.



In 2026, the minimum age to become cabin crew is generally 18 years old, though this varies significantly by airline and country. Most major international and regional carriers, particularly in India (like IndiGo and Air India) and Europe (like Ryanair or British Airways), accept applicants at 18. However, many United States-based airlines and some premium Middle Eastern carriers (such as Emirates or Qatar Airways) require candidates to be at least 21 years old. This higher age limit is often tied to legal requirements for serving alcohol on international flights or specific labor regulations. Regardless of age, applicants must typically have a high school diploma (10+2), meet height and weight requirements, and be medically fit. If you are 18, you are eligible for a vast majority of short-haul and low-cost carriers, making it a great time to start a career in aviation while potentially waiting to meet the age criteria for major long-haul legacy airlines later.

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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.

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Flight Attendant At least 18 years old. The average earnings for a Flight Attendant in the first year of employment are approximately $22,000. A high school diploma or GED is required; college credits OR a minimum of…

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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.

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You can hold a commercial pilot certificate as young as 18 years old, but most airlines require applicants be at least 21 years old, which is a prerequisite for the Airline Transport Pilot certificate.

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In the U.S., there are no FAA age limits for pilots except for commercial airline pilots employed by airlines certificated under 14 CFR Part 121. These airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach the age of 65. However, these pilots may stay on with a Part 121 carrier in some other role, such as flight engineer.

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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.

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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.

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

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Aspiring cabin crew is also subjected to drug tests and sometimes alcohol tests to discover any substance abuse issues. Speech defects are not accepted. Any candidate with anemia, epilepsy, diabetes or such will not be considered fit to fly.

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The average flight attendant age is 49 years old. The most common ethnicity of flight attendants is White (59.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.8%), Black or African American (10.2%) and Asian (7.6%). Flight attendants are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.

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Currently, while the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards allow a person between the age of 60 and 65 to serve as pilot in command (PIC) of an airplane with two or more pilots, in international commercial air transport operations, the PIC must be paired with a pilot younger than 60 years of age.

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Annual Pilot Salary Range
How Much Do Pilots Make an Hour? » According to The May 2021 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary for commercial pilots is $99,640 per year. The median annual wage for airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers is $202,180.

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Yes, airplane pilots can wear glasses. (And many do.) If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you can still become a commercial, private, or military pilot. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the military have certain minimum standards for prospective pilots.

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Aer Lingus Salary FAQs How does the salary as a Cabin Crew at Aer Lingus compare with the base salary range for this job? The average salary for a Cabin Crew is $59,213 per year in United States, which is 12% higher than the average Aer Lingus salary of $52,591 per year for this job.

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The average Ryanair salary ranges from approximately $47,828 per year for a Cabin Crew to $47,828 per year for a Cabin Crew. Ryanair employees rate the overall compensation and benefits package 2.6/5 stars.

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