Cabin crew requirements for seven Gulf airlines, side by side

How airline requirements differ

Two airlines can both hire cabin crew and still ask for different things. In the criteria we have verified:

• Age. Most of the seven publish a minimum age. Saudia’s criteria we reviewed state no age limit, and Air Arabia’s age limits depend on the operation you apply to.
• Height and arm reach. Minimum height differs by airline. Some airlines also publish an arm-reach requirement, and some publish only one of the two.
• Education and English. A high-school education or equivalent is common. Saudia adds a minimum overall grade and a recent STEP by QIYAS score.
• Experience. Some airlines ask for a year of customer-facing experience; others do not state a minimum.
• Appearance and fitness. Visible tattoos in uniform are ruled out by several airlines. Some also ask you to swim with a flotation device, and several mention a medical or fitness check that no online tool can certify.
• Relocation and visas. Several airlines expect you to relocate to their base city and to qualify for the local employment visa. Saudia currently asks for a valid Saudi National ID.

Requirements change. Always confirm on the airline’s own careers page before you apply. Each airline page shows when we last verified its criteria; when that date gets old, the table asks you to verify rather than trusting it.