The airline industry is massive, its interesting and it has a lot of jobs, as it needs a lot of people to make it work.
Maybe you'd like to work in the airline business? If so, I can try and help with some info here.
Whether you are researching a job in an airline, already have an interview or are simply wondering what job to take straight out of college, we have all the links you'll need and we can always try and help you out with any questions you may have. Just let us know!
If you like the industry, you may want to check out our lens on the airline business.
Check out these great books on the airline business and careers on Amazon
Maybe you'd like to work in the airline business? If so, I can try and help with some info here.
Whether you are researching a job in an airline, already have an interview or are simply wondering what job to take straight out of college, we have all the links you'll need and we can always try and help you out with any questions you may have. Just let us know!
If you like the industry, you may want to check out our lens on the airline business.
Check out these great books on the airline business and careers on Amazon
Get a career in the airline industry!
The aim of this lens is to help you find opportunities in the global airline industry and to secure the job you want.
Whether you want to be a pilot, a flight attendant or a manager, the links below will show you which jobs are available at which airlines, from the US to Australia
There are usually always some jobs available, no matter the state of the industry, but if you don't find any this time, come back and check again.
This lens is for information, we don't get any revenue from the airlines and we aren't a recruitment site, I just found it frustrating to have to keep track of all the sites when I was looking for airline jobs and thought it would be nice to have all the links in one place.
At the bottom you'll find more general aviation recruitment websites which you may also find useful.
Whether you want to be a pilot, a flight attendant or a manager, the links below will show you which jobs are available at which airlines, from the US to Australia
There are usually always some jobs available, no matter the state of the industry, but if you don't find any this time, come back and check again.
This lens is for information, we don't get any revenue from the airlines and we aren't a recruitment site, I just found it frustrating to have to keep track of all the sites when I was looking for airline jobs and thought it would be nice to have all the links in one place.
At the bottom you'll find more general aviation recruitment websites which you may also find useful.
Challenges of a career in the airline industry
It isn't always blue skies!
As you probably know, the airline industry is cyclical and it has a lot of bad times. You need to consider this when deciding to pursue a career in the industry. Pay is often poor relative to other similar positions and there can be a lot of stress when costs have to be cut. Also, there is less chance for exciting new projects to work on as there usually isn't a lot of money to throw around.
Who knows whether this will change in the future and even if it doesn't then you can have a great career in the airlines, just make sure you go in with open eyes, so you aren't disappointed and regret it later.
Who knows whether this will change in the future and even if it doesn't then you can have a great career in the airlines, just make sure you go in with open eyes, so you aren't disappointed and regret it later.
Flight Benefits
A main reason people want an airline career!
Its not all glamor, but the flight benefits you can expect are very nice. They vary by airline, but likely will include standby travel for you and your immediate family at reduced rates.
Its rarely free and you are never guaranteed to get on the plane, but you can make it work to have some good adventures and see more of the world than you otherwise could.
The trade-off is airlines don't always pay very much, as they figure the flight benefits are valuable and people will accept less pay because of them.
Its rarely free and you are never guaranteed to get on the plane, but you can make it work to have some good adventures and see more of the world than you otherwise could.
The trade-off is airlines don't always pay very much, as they figure the flight benefits are valuable and people will accept less pay because of them.
Airline Career Website Links
Links straight to the official airline career websites
Links directly to the career sections of airline websites. They aren't always easy to find, so here they all are in one place! How easy is that?
The good thing is you can bookmark this page and keep coming back to the full list to see if there are new openings later.
The good thing is you can bookmark this page and keep coming back to the full list to see if there are new openings later.
- American Airlines
- Careers both in the US and elsewhere in the world. They have special programs for college graduates.
- Continental Airlines
- Consistently ranked high on the Fortune list of most admired airlines, Continental has been through bankruptcy and is likely the least old-school culture of the US legacy carriers.
- Delta Airlines
- The merger with Northwest has cemented their place as a major carrier on the global stage, especially given their well established partnerships with Air France/KLM. Glen Haustenstein is also doing some great stuff with new destinations and from the outside it looks an exciting place to be.
- Northwest
- Since the merger with Delta, management positions are posted at the Delta website above, but pilots, flight attendants and some other positions are still posted here.
- Qantas
- Major Australian airline with distinctive red kangaroo livery. One of early A380 customers.
- Emirates
- Growing fast there should be a lot of openings, both in Dubai and around the world.
- Virgin America
- America's newest 'major' airline, as it grows it should create a lot of new jobs!
- British Airways
- The UK's largest airline and one of the most well respected carriers in the world with an extensive network out of Heathrow. Most jobs are based at Heathrow, but there will be openings worldwide at many of the airports BA serves.
- Alaska & Horizon
- Links to both Alaska and its sister company Horizon.
- United
- Another major US carrier which again has a lucrative MBA program.
- JetBlue
- Perhaps not as glamourous place as when it first opened, but still a top, highly regarded airline which has recently had significant investment from Lufthansa.
- Allegiant
- Smaller US airline who fly under the radar with their network of secondary airports and less frequent flights, but who do it very successfully by all accounts.
- Southwest
- Based in Dallas, the 'original' low cost carrier and one of the biggest, most successful airlines in the world. Could be making moves to go international soon......
- Air France
- Based in Paris, the website is in French, which is useful to speak if you want to work for a French company!
- KLM
- Although Air France KLM is one group, they still operate separately so have different career sites.
- Lufthansa
- Nice site, nice company, tipped to be one of the survivors in the European airline industry and are in the middle of an acquisition binge to consolidate their position.
- Austrian Airlines
- Smaller European airline based in Austria, but still does long-haul
- Etihad
- Another one of the Middle East airlines who are growing rapidly and are serious about becoming one of the world's best airlines
- Ethiopian Airlines
- A bit exotic for some perhaps, but there are airlines all over the world!
- Flybe
- Based in the UK, with operations into Europe, a smaller airline.
- Air New Zealand
- Based in New Zealand
- LOT Polish Airlines
- LOT Polish Airlines post jobs on the website when they have some, but don't have a permanent career page. You could try contacting them directly.
- Virgin Atlantic USA
- Virgin is a top airline, smaller than the majors but still a force even though they are more established than they were at first.
This site is dedicated to jobs in the US. - Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin is a top airline, smaller than the majors but still a force even though they are more established than they were at first.
This is the main career site. - AirTran
- Head office is in Orlando, FL but they have a lot of flights out of Atlanta. A significant player in the US skies, AirTran is one of the main competitors to the major airlines and as such offers a more entrepeneurial work environment.
Books to buy
I highly recommend reading some of these
Books specific to an airline that could help you understand the culture and make you look really smart in the interview!
You will do yourself a lot of favors by reading up on the airline before you apply or go to an interview. These books aren't as serious as the selection below, but are a great read with lots of useful information.
Even if you are going for another airline, these books give you a sense of the industry and an insight into what you would be doing and the language that people speak.
You will do yourself a lot of favors by reading up on the airline before you apply or go to an interview. These books aren't as serious as the selection below, but are a great read with lots of useful information.
Even if you are going for another airline, these books give you a sense of the industry and an insight into what you would be doing and the language that people speak.
From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental's Remarkable Comeback
Amazon Price: $20.12 (as of 12/09/2009) 
Flying High: How JetBlue Founder and CEO David Neeleman Beats the Competition... Even in the World's Most Turbulent Industry
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/09/2009)
Blue Streak: Inside jetBlue, the Upstart that Rocked an Industry
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 12/09/2009)
Airline Without A Pilot - Leadership Lessons/Inside Story of Delta's Success, Decline and Bankruptcy
Amazon Price: $21.33 (as of 12/09/2009)
Airline business books
OK, some are a bit pricey, but they'll be invaluable resources when you get your interview. More like textbooks than novels, you may be able to find them at your local library.
if you want to be successful at an airline, you may wish to read up and let everyone know your both keen and knowledgeable. These books are often very interesting reads on their own.
if you want to be successful at an airline, you may wish to read up and let everyone know your both keen and knowledgeable. These books are often very interesting reads on their own.
The Airline Business
Amazon Price: $55.57 (as of 12/09/2009)
Airline Marketing and Management
Amazon Price: $30.07 (as of 12/09/2009)
The Airline Business in the 21st Century
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Wheels Up: Airline Business Plan Development
Amazon Price: $22.31 (as of 12/09/2009)
Global Airlines, Third Edition: Competition in a Transnational Industry
Amazon Price: $45.01 (as of 12/09/2009)
Airline career blogs
There aren't too many blogs focusing on airline careers, but you never know, you may find something interesting here!
- AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Hundreds in Airline Industry Gain a Union Voice ...
- look forward to negotiating a contract that will provide security, as well as advance our careers. As AFA-CWA members, we will have a voice at the bargaining table and work alongside management in creating a leading regional airline ...
- Airline Industry Career - For Airline Careers in Todays Job Market
- These employment opportunities should not be overlooked. Briefly described below are many of the jobs that must be filled to keep the planes flying. (Airline Industry Career - Non-flying Careers) ...
- ยป Indian Airlines Limited 2010 Jobs Recruitment Exams:: Education ...
- In May 2007, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that Air India Limited (AI), India's national flag carrier and Indian Airlines Limited (IA), the government owned domestic airline, would merge with effect from July 15, 2007. ... indian airlines flight status, indian airlines fare, indian airlines pnr status, indian airlines careers, indian airlines cargo, indian airlines contact, indian airlines jobs, indian airlines recruitment, indian airlines Bangalore, ...
- Over 9000 applications for 1 cabin crew job | Aviation Job Search
- Research from Simply Jobs boards, an online recruitment firm which runs job websites across 14 industry sectors in the UK, also revealed that applications for careers in recruitment and the automotive sector have also rocketed with ... ? However, the airline industry has been particularly badly affected and the fact that almost 10000 people were interested in a single airline steward's job is a sad reflection on how many people in the sector have lost their jobs over the ...
Questions? Recommendations
Let us know what you think and about your success in getting an airline career! And if we can assist, please leave a question.
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Other airline lenses
We have a few more airline related lenses you may wish to check out-
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KLM
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The lens about the Flying Dutchman, KLM. The blue and white livery is unmistakeable as they fly around the world! Now part of Air France-KLM we still get to see them as an 'independent' airline for the time being. Will it last forever, I doubt it,...
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Lufthansa
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Lufthansa is the German flag carrier and a well respected airline in aviation circles. Primarily flying an Airbus fleet, which is unsurprising given the German involvement in Airbus, it offers an extensive network for both business and leisure passen...
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Air France
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The national airline of France, Air France is one of the major European airlines and cemented its place when it merged with KLM to form Air France-KLM. Based out of the CDG hub, it is a massive airline which can get you across the world, using both...
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Airline Business
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The airline business is probably one of the most interesting, most complex and most opinion forming industries in the world. It deals in big money, big machines and involves a lot of people. It has long attracted colorful characters with big egos a...
General Aviation Recruitment Websites
When you aren't sure what airline you want to work for, or it needs to be location specific
AviationJobSearch.com - Aviation jobs in the UK
AviationJobSearch.com specialises in advertising aviation jobs, jobs in aviation, aviation jobs in london, aviation recruitment and all other aviation jobs for the UK's leading employers and recruitment agencies. Search and apply for 1000s of jobs.
AviationJobSearch.com specialises in advertising aviation jobs, jobs in aviation, aviation jobs in london, aviation recruitment and all other aviation jobs for the UK's leading employers and recruitment agencies. Search and apply for 1000s of jobs.
by RJTame
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