Salary of a Cabin Crew Member: UK Pay and Career Guide

The salary of a cabin crew in the UK ranges from £21,000 to £28,000. The National Careers Service lists £21,000 for starters and £28,000 for experienced cabin crew. Your pay can change with your airline and experience. Flying hours, allowances and bonuses can also affect your total earnings.

Our research finds different figures. Each site may use different salary data and sources. UK cabin crew usually work around 30 to 40 hours each week. Starting salary, experienced cabin crew pay and airline salaries can vary. Monthly pay, flying pay, allowances, bonuses, take-home pay and career progression also affect overall earnings.

This guide covers cabin crew salaries, monthly pay, allowances, bonuses, take-home pay and career growth.

What is the Average Salary of a Cabin Crew?

The National Careers Service lists £21,000 a year for starters. Experienced cabin crew can earn around £28,000 a year. These figures give a clear UK pay guide. However, every airline may offer different pay. Your cabin crew salary can change with your experience and working hours. Extra flying hours can also increase your total pay.

Salary figures online can also be different. So, check what each figure includes before comparing them. Some figures may show basic pay. Others may include extra payments. The average cabin crew salary UK can therefore change by source. The salary of a cabin crew also depends on the airline, experience and extra pay.

What Is The Starting Salary For Cabin Crew?

The cabin crew starting salary in the UK is around £21,000 a year. The National Careers Service gives this figure. However, new cabin crew can earn different amounts at different airlines. Some salary data shows starting pay between £17,500 and £22,500 a year. Your airline and airport can affect your starting pay.

Your work contract can also change your basic salary. For example, British Airways has its own pay rates for new cabin crew. This rate does not apply to all airlines. Also, basic pay is not always your full yearly income. Flying pay, allowances and other payments can add more money. So, entry-level cabin crew pay can differ from one job to another.

How Much Does an Experienced Cabin Crew Member Earn?

An experienced cabin crew salary in the UK can reach around £28,000 a year. The National Careers Service gives this figure. However, some crew members can earn more with experience. Senior roles, long flights and extra flying hours can increase pay. Some airline jobs offer more than £30,000 a year. 

Senior roles can reach £40,000 or £50,000+ in some cases. These figures depend on the airline and job. They do not apply to every cabin crew member. With more experience, you can move into senior or supervisor roles. This can also support your cabin crew career progression.

How Does Cabin Crew Pay Work?

Cabin crew pay includes more than your basic salary. You can receive extra money for some work duties. Flying hours can also change your total pay. Some airlines offer allowances, bonuses or commissions. However, each airline may have its own pay system.

• Basic salary: This is the main fixed amount you earn each month.
• Flying pay: Extra money may come from the hours you spend flying.
• Layover allowances: You may get money for costs during stays away from home.
• Commission: Some airlines pay commission from onboard sales.
• Other allowances: Cabin crew receive extra payments for specific duties or costs.

How Much Can Cabin Crew Earn Per Month?

A cabin crew monthly salary can change each month. Basic pay may be around £1,680 per month. Flying pay and allowances can add more money. Your total pay can also depend on your flying hours. For example, short-haul cabin crew may earn around £2,220 a month. 

This example includes 60 flying hours, £240 flying pay and £300 allowances. Long-haul cabin crew may earn around £2,580 a month. This example includes 80 flying hours, £400 in flying pay and £500 for layover costs. These are only examples. Your monthly cabin crew pay can change based on your airline, flights and extra payments.

Does Long-Haul Cabin Crew Pay More?

Long-haul flights can sometimes give higher total pay. However, long-haul cabin crew do not always earn more. Pay can change with the airline, flying hours and extra payments. A short-haul example uses 60 flying hours and pays around £2,220 a month. A long-haul example uses 80 flying hours and pays around £2,580 a month.

The long-haul example includes £400 flying pay and £500 layover money. Long flights can have different hours and allowances. Your flight duty pay also depends on your airline contract. So, a long-haul cabin crew salary can differ from a short-haul cabin crew salary.

How Much Do UK Airlines Pay Cabin Crew?

Cabin crew pay can differ between UK airlines. Glassdoor figures come from employees who report their pay. They are not official airline salary rates. The reported British Airways cabin crew salary ranges from £18,000 to £28,000. Virgin Atlantic shows £17,000 to £20,000, while easyJet shows £16,000 to £25,000.

Ryanair shows a reported range of £13,000 to £23,000. Jet2 has a starting pay example of £22,500. These figures can change by location, experience and contract. Extra flying pay and allowances can also affect total earnings. So, a cabin crew salary by airline can vary from one job to another.

What is the British Airways Cabin Crew Salary?

The British Airways cabin crew salary can include basic pay and extra money. Older salary data shows a starting basic salary of £17,500 to £20,500. It also shows £3.50 to £5 per flying hour. Based on these figures, first-year pay can reach around £21,000 to £25,000.

Current BA job details show that cabin crew pay can include basic pay and flight duty pay. It can also include HMRC per diems and other allowances. So, your total pay may be higher than your basic salary. Your flying hours can also affect your earnings. The British Airways cabin crew starting salary can therefore differ between crew members.

What Bonuses and Allowances Can Cabin Crew Get?

Cabin crew can earn extra money on top of their basic pay. These extra payments can depend on flights, routes and job duties. Each airline has its own rules for these payments. Some payments may come regularly, while others may change each month. Airlines can also offer useful benefits besides extra pay.

• Layover money: You may get extra money when you stay away from home.
• Meal allowance: Some airlines help pay for meals during work trips.
• Hotel costs: Certain roles may include money for hotel stays.
• Performance bonuses: Good work may earn you an extra payment.
• Onboard sales: Some cabin crew can earn commission from onboard sales.
• Language skills: Speaking another language may bring extra pay in some roles.

How Much is Cabin Crew Take-Home Pay?

Your cabin crew take-home pay is the money you get after tax and other costs. The National Careers Service lists cabin crew pay from £21,000 to £28,000 a year. This is your gross salary, which means your pay before any money gets taken off. You may pay income tax, National Insurance and Pension Costs from your salary. 

So, the money you take home will be lower. The exact amount can be different for each person. Some extra payments may also have different tax rules. So, there is no fixed cabin crew salary after tax for everyone. Your cabin crew net salary depends on your pay and the money taken from it.

What Qualifications and Training Do Cabin Crew Need?

You need some basic cabin crew qualifications to start this job. In the UK, you must be at least 18 years old. You also need approved training and must pass an exam. Some airlines may expect applicants to have five GCSEs, including English and maths, with grades 9 to 4. You can start through college, an apprenticeship or an airline job application. 

Cabin crew training teaches you how to keep passengers safe. You may also need health and background checks. Some airlines ask you to swim 25 metres. However, this is not a rule for every airline. These cabin crew requirements can help you understand how to become cabin crew.

What Factors Affect a Cabin Crew Salary?

Several things can change your cabin crew pay. Your experience, airline and airport can affect your salary. Flight hours, routes and job level can also change your earnings. Your work contract may also affect your pay. Extra payments can increase your cabin crew earnings. 

Glassdoor reports £15,000 to £17,000 for some Manchester roles. It also reports £37,000 to £43,000 for a Gatwick worker with over 15 years of experience. These are employee reports, not fixed salaries. They show how pay can change by location and experience. Senior roles may also have different pay.

How Can Cabin Crew Increase Their Earnings?

You can grow your pay as you gain more cabin crew experience. Taking on more duties can also help you move up. Senior roles may offer more responsibility and different pay. You can also move into other airline jobs over time. However, higher pay depends on the role and available jobs.

• Gain experience: Build your skills by working in different flight roles.
• Move up: A cabin crew promotion can lead to senior cabin crew roles.
• Take senior roles: You may progress to senior air cabin crew or supervisor jobs.
• Lead teams: Roles such as Inflight Lead and Inflight Manager offer more responsibility.
• Try ground jobs: You can move into training, recruitment or passenger services.
• Use your skills: Marketing and sales roles can offer another cabin crew career progression path.

Is Cabin Crew a Good Career for the Salary?

Cabin crew work can offer a mix of pay, benefits and career growth. The official salary range is £21,000 to £28,000 a year. Cabin crew usually work around 30 to 40 hours a week. Extra flying pay and other payments can increase your total earnings. The job can also offer cabin crew benefits, such as staff travel and pension benefits. 

However, the work can include evenings, weekends and bank holidays. You may also spend time away from home. Senior roles can offer more responsibility and new career options. So, when looking at cabin crew salary, consider the pay, working hours, benefits and career growth together.

Final Thoughts

So, the salary of a cabin crew starts at around £21,000 for starters. Experienced cabin crew can earn around £28,000. Your actual pay can change with the airline, experience and flying hours. Allowances and bonuses can also add more money. Salary websites may use different data, so compare figures carefully. Career progression, staff travel and pension benefits can also add value to the job.

Want to start your cabin crew career? Explore our Cabin Crew Course to build the skills needed for this exciting career path.

FAQs About Salary of a Cabin Crew

1. Do cabin crew make good money?

• Cabin crew can earn a steady income in the UK. Pay can increase with experience, flying hours, allowances and bonuses.

2. What is the starting salary of cabin crew?

• The starting salary is around £21,000 a year. However, pay can differ between airlines and jobs.

3. Do air hostesses get free flights?

• Some airlines offer free or cheaper flights to staff. The exact benefit depends on the airline’s staff travel policy.

4. What do Jet2 cabin crew earn?

• Jet2 has a starting salary of around £22,500 a year. Actual pay can change with experience and extra payments.

5. What do Ryanair cabin crew earn?

• Reported Ryanair cabin crew pay ranges from around £13,000 to £23,000 a year. Pay can vary by role, location and experience.

6. Is cabin crew a stressful job?

• Cabin crew work can be demanding at times. Long flights, busy schedules, safety duties and difficult passengers can create stress.