What should I do first to become a flight attendant?

How to become a flight attendant
  1. Complete your education.
  2. Gain relevant work experience.
  3. Prepare and submit your resume.
  4. Pass your flight attendant interview.
  5. Complete the airline's training program.
  6. Get your FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency.




To begin your journey as a flight attendant in 2026, the very first step is to ensure you meet the basic eligibility requirements, which typically include being at least 18 to 21 years old and having a high school diploma or equivalent. Beyond these basics, you should focus on gaining customer service experience, as airlines prioritize candidates who can demonstrate empathy, conflict resolution, and professionalism in high-pressure environments. Simultaneously, you should prepare your "cabin crew reach"; most airlines require you to reach a certain height (often 212 cm on tiptoes) to ensure you can operate emergency equipment in overhead bins. Researching specific airline cultures and preparing a resume that highlights "soft skills" like cultural sensitivity and teamwork is essential. Many candidates also choose to enroll in a brief cabin crew preparatory course to master grooming standards and practice the "assessment day" drills that involve group discussions and role-playing scenarios, which are the standard first hurdles in the competitive hiring process.

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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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Steps to Take to be a Flight Attendant
It's difficult and can take a long time. Airlines can take 3-6 months to get through the hiring process, that's if your resume makes it through the first cut. Intense Competition. We estimate there are 1 – 1.5 million flight attendant applications for 5,000 – 10,000 jobs.

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

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The training process for flight attendants can be quite rigorous and time-intensive. New hires typically need to complete somewhere between three to six weeks of initial training, where they learn on-the-job skills such as safety procedures and emergency drills.

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You can apply for flight attendant positions if you're over 18 years old and have good health and vision. Train. If an airline hires you, you can train for weeks or months to prepare for FAA certification.

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Airlines provide a three- to six-week training program for their flight attendants. You will typically attend training for eight hours a day throughout the duration of the program. This training prepares you to use airport codes, make PA announcements, perform routine job duties and handle in-flight emergencies.

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They can expect to spend 65-90 hours in the air, and an additional 50 hours preparing the airplane, processing passengers during boarding and performing post-flight procedures. Typically, flight attendants work 12-14 days and log 65-85 flight hours each month, not including overtime.

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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.

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Can you make a living as a flight attendant? Yes, you can make a decent living as a flight attendant. The median salary is $61,640 per year and there are many opportunities to make more than that based on your experience level, the airline you work for and even your geographic location.

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The short answer to this question is YES, you can have tattoos and still become a cabin crew, but it should NOT be visible when you are wearing the flight attendant uniform! While some airlines will allow you to have tattoos, there are certain guidelines and regulations that you will need to follow.

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Most airlines require a 90% passing grade on all exams during new hire training. Only 60% of new-hire flight attendants make it through new-hire training. Only 50% survive the first year of employment. Each airline receives an average of 2,500 flight attendant job applications per month.

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According to AirlineCareer.com, approximately 40% of flight attendant trainees industry-wide don't make it through training. With Harvard's graduation rate falling around 98%, it's very likely that it's also much more difficult to graduate from Delta flight attendant training school than it is to graduate from Harvard.

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Cabin crew do not have to demonstrate extraordinary abilities for swimming, but must be able to swim for up to 50 meters, across a pool about 2 meters deep.

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Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Singapore Airlines are commercial airlines that pay the highest pilot salaries.

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They often work nights, weekends, and holidays because airlines operate every day and have overnight flights. They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours.

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Is becoming a flight attendant worth it? The biggest benefit of becoming a flight attendant is the ability to get paid to travel; some airlines even allow flight attendants' families and friends to travel for free. Starting wages are $18-25 per hour depending on the airline and the specific job.

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