When applying for pilot or cabin crew positions in 2026, airlines generally prioritize certifications, flight hours, and medical fitness over high school or university GPA. For pilots, a high school diploma with a focus on Mathematics and Physics is the standard baseline, but recruiters are far more interested in your performance during flight training, specifically your Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) results and flight school evaluations. For cabin crew, a high school diploma is typically the minimum requirement, and while a college degree can be a "bonus," airlines place much higher value on interpersonal skills, customer service experience, and multilingual abilities. While "straight As" are rarely a dealbreaker, a consistently poor academic record might be scrutinized during background checks if it suggests a lack of discipline. However, once you have your wings or safety certifications, your professional experience and "soft skills" carry significantly more weight than your old report card.