What is the minimum pay for cabin crew in Australia?

Under the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020, the minimum weekly rate for a full-time cabin crew member is $1,097.40, which equates to $28.88 per hour. A flying allowance of $18.40 per block hour also applies. These rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Does the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award apply to Emirates?

The award covers employers of aircraft cabin crew in Australia. If Emirates employs cabin crew based in Australia, they must comply with this award or a registered enterprise agreement that provides equivalent or better conditions. Without a specific agreement, the award minimums apply.

How does superannuation affect my pay?

Superannuation guarantee contributions of 12% are paid by the employer on top of ordinary time earnings. For a cabin crew member earning the award minimum, this means an additional $131.69 per week (12% of $1,097.40) contributed to a super fund. This is not deducted from your pay.

Emirates cabin crew salary: what the Australian pay floor means for you

The minimum hourly rate for a cabin crew member under the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award is $28.88 per hour, plus a flying allowance of $18.40 per block hour. However, no specific Emirates cabin crew salary was found in public Australian sources.

Emirates cabin crew salary: understanding the legal minimum

If you are searching for an "emirates cabin crew salary" in Australia, the first thing to know is that the legal minimum is set by the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020 (MA000047). This award covers all aircraft cabin crew employed in Australia, including those working for international airlines like Emirates, unless a registered enterprise agreement applies. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that the award includes minimum rates for cabin crew members, supervisors, and managers.

What the award says

According to the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award, the minimum weekly rate for a full-time cabin crew member from 1 July 2026 is $1,097.40, or $28.88 per hour. A cabin crew supervisor on narrow-bodied aircraft with four or more crew must receive at least $1,280.40 per week ($33.69 per hour), and a cabin crew manager on wide-bodied aircraft gets $1,495.50 per week ($39.36 per hour). These rates are the floor – you cannot be paid less, but an enterprise agreement or individual contract can offer more.

In addition to the base rate, the award requires a flying allowance of $18.40 per hour for scheduled block hours. Part of this allowance ($6.88 per hour as of June 2026) is treated as a daily travelling allowance for meals and incidentals, based on ATO rates. The flying allowance is paid only for hours actually flown.

How this compares to the national minimum wage

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week. The award rate for cabin crew ($28.88) is higher, as is typical for award-covered industries. Casual employees under the award receive a 25% loading on top of the minimum hourly rate, bringing the casual rate to $36.10 per hour for a cabin crew member.

What about Emirates specifically?

Our research using publicly available Australian sources – including the Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission, and Australian Bureau of Statistics – did not find a specific "emirates cabin crew salary" figure. Emirates may have an enterprise agreement registered with the Fair Work Commission that sets different rates, or they may pay above the award. Without access to that agreement, the award minimum is the only guaranteed floor. If you are an Emirates cabin crew member in Australia, you can check your pay against the award rates using the Rate tables on this site.

Superannuation is on top

Remember that the superannuation guarantee requires your employer to contribute 12% of your ordinary time earnings into a super fund. This is not taken from your pay – it is an additional payment. For a cabin crew member on the award minimum, that is an extra $131.69 per week. The award itself also references superannuation obligations under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.

Allowances and other entitlements

Beyond the base rate and flying allowance, the award includes a training allowance of 9.5% of the minimum weekly rate for cabin crew members appointed as in-flight or ground school trainers. Penalty rates for overtime, weekend, and public holiday work also apply, as summarised in the award's pay guide available from the Fair Work Ombudsman.

How to check your pay

If you are employed as cabin crew in Australia, you can use the Which minimum wage applies tool to confirm your award coverage. Then compare your hourly rate to the award minimum. If your rate is lower, your employer may be underpaying you. If you are covered by an enterprise agreement, that agreement must pass the better off overall test compared to the award.

The bottom line

While we cannot provide a precise "emirates cabin crew salary" from public data, the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award sets a clear minimum. For a cabin crew member, that is $28.88 per hour plus flying allowance and super. If you are an Emirates employee in Australia, your salary should be at least this amount unless a registered agreement provides otherwise. Always check your pay against the award and seek advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman if you have concerns.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.