For 2026, Indian airlines have not yet published separate “2026 pay scales.” The most reliable numbers available are the latest 2025 cabin crew salary data, and salaries typically rise only slightly each year (around 5–8% in many airlines). So, if you are planning for 2026, you should use these 2025 figures as a realistic baseline, expecting a small increment but no drastic jump.
Average cabin crew salary in India
Across Indian airlines in 2025:
- Freshers / entry‑level cabin crew (domestic) usually earn around ₹25,000 – ₹40,000 per month basic, and ₹30,000 – ₹50,000 per month including flying and layover allowances.
- Training institutes and career portals show entry‑level cabin crew at ₹30,000 – ₹75,000 per month, depending on airline and route (domestic vs international), with experienced crew going up to ₹1,00,000+ per month.
- Some 2025 industry content even quotes domestic cabin crew starting around ₹50,000 per month including allowances in busy metros.
So, for 2026, most candidates can safely expect that:
- Domestic cabin crew salary will continue to start roughly in the ₹30,000 – ₹50,000 per month band (including allowances),
- With experienced / senior cabin crew often earning ₹70,000 – ₹1,20,000 per month or more, especially on international or long‑haul routes.
Exact offers depend on airline, base city, flying hours, and your experience.
Air India cabin crew salary 2026
Recent 2025 data for Air India cabin crew salary shows one of the highest pay scales among Indian carriers.
- Entry‑level / new joiners: around ₹53,000 – ₹54,000 per month to start.
- Typical fresher range in 2025: ₹59,000 – ₹61,000 per month, about 8% higher than the average cabin crew salary in Indian aviation.
- Average annual salary: about ₹6.9 lakh per year for those with under 1 year of experience, with a wider range of ₹3 lakh – ₹13 lakh per year depending on role and seniority.
- Senior cabin crew / In‑Flight Supervisor: often ₹80,000 – ₹1,00,000 per month or more.
For 2026, unless there is a major policy change, you can assume similar or slightly higher numbers. This means Air India cabin crew salary in 2026 for freshers should stay around the ₹55,000 – ₹60,000+ per month level, with seniors near or above ₹1 lakh, but final figures will depend on yearly revisions and your experience.
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IndiGo cabin crew salary 2026
IndiGo is India’s largest domestic airline, and IndiGo cabin crew salary is usually considered stable and competitive.
Latest 2025 information indicates:
- Training stipend: around ₹12,000 – ₹15,000 per month during cabin crew training.
- Fresher IndiGo cabin crew salary (after training):
- Basic pay: about ₹25,000 – ₹30,000 per month
- Flying + layover allowance: roughly ₹15,000 – ₹23,000 per month
- Total monthly pay for freshers: about ₹35,000 – ₹50,000 per month depending on flying hours.
- Broader salary studies show IndiGo cabin crew earning around ₹5.5 lakh annually on average, which works out to roughly ₹40,000 – ₹50,000 per month, increasing with experience.
In 2026, it is reasonable to expect IndiGo cabin crew salary for freshers to remain in the ₹35,000 – ₹50,000 per month band, with experienced crew crossing ₹60,000 – ₹70,000+ per month in many cases, assuming typical annual increments.
Air India Express cabin crew salary 2026
Air India Express cabin crew salary is also on the higher side because of its international and medium‑haul operations.
For 2025, reliable data shows:
- Freshers / entry‑level cabin crew: about ₹50,000 – ₹61,000 per month total compensation.
- 5–6 years’ experience (mid‑level): usually ₹59,000 – ₹61,000 per month, or around ₹8.1 lakh per year.
- Overall annual compensation at Air India Express ranges roughly from ₹3.5 lakh – ₹14.2 lakh per year, depending on whether you are a fresher, mid‑level, or senior crew with more than 10 years’ experience.
For 2026, you can treat these ₹50,000 – ₹61,000 per month for freshers as the baseline for Air India Express cabin crew salary, with a possible modest increase after yearly revisions.
SpiceJet cabin crew salary 2026
Several 2025 reports and salary analyses give a clear view of SpiceJet cabin crew salary:
- Overall monthly range (2025):
- When base pay and allowances are combined, SpiceJet cabin crew generally earn about ₹31,000 – ₹50,000 per month in the first 0–5 years.
- Entry‑level (freshers):
- ₹28,000 – ₹38,000 per month is a typical range.
- Mid‑career (3–4 years):
- Around ₹40,000 – ₹55,000 per month.
- Annual salary overall:
- Roughly ₹2.4 lakh – ₹8 lakh per year, with an average of about ₹4.9 lakh per year during the first five years.
- Many sources mention a yearly hike of around 5–8%, plus promotion‑linked increments of 15–20% when you move up to senior positions.
For 2026, the SpiceJet cabin crew salary is likely to stay in the same broad range with a small increase, so freshers can still plan around ₹28,000 – ₹40,000+ per month, and mid‑level crew in the ₹40,000 – ₹55,000 zone.
Akasa Air cabin crew salary 2026
Akasa Air is a newer low‑cost carrier, but there is good 2025 data on Akasa Air cabin crew salary.
Key points for 2025:
- Training period (freshers):
- Official information states ₹18,000 per month for freshers during training.
- Experienced hires in training may get ₹25,000 per month.
- Regular monthly salary after training:
- Multiple sources show Akasa Air cabin crew salary around ₹35,000 – ₹40,000 per month including allowances.
- One detailed guide mentions an approximate figure of ₹35,467 per month as typical pay.
- Annual range across experience levels:
- Based on employee‑reported data, cabin crew earn around ₹2.2 lakh – ₹7.9 lakh per year, with an average of about ₹4.4–₹6.9 lakh per year depending on experience.
So, for 2026, it is reasonable to expect that Akasa Air cabin crew salary for new crew will remain around ₹35,000 – ₹40,000 per month, with higher pay as experience grows.
Alliance Air cabin crew salary 2026
Alliance Air is a government‑linked regional carrier. Public recruitment documents and salary summaries give a picture of Alliance Air cabin crew salary:
- A recent recruitment advertisement for cabin crew mentions a monthly salary structure that includes:
- Fixed pay of ₹16,725 per month, plus
- Flying allowance of ₹22,750 for 70 flying hours per month,
- Which totals about ₹39,475 per month, with the note “under revision”.
- Salary comparison tables from training institutes also list Alliance Air cabin crew average annual salary around ₹6 lakh, which corresponds to roughly ₹50,000 per month for more experienced or higher‑hour crew.
For 2026, you can expect Alliance Air cabin crew salary for freshers to be in the ₹35,000 – ₹45,000 per month region (depending on flying hours), with experienced cabin crew moving toward ₹50,000+ per month, subject to government and company revisions.
FlyBig and Star Air cabin crew salary
Both FlyBig and Star Air are regional airlines focusing on smaller routes and tier‑2/3 cities. They usually pay within the standard domestic cabin crew salary range, but are typically lower than big carriers like Air India or IndiGo.
Star Air cabin crew salary
Recent recruitment‑focused content for Star Air cabin crew indicates:
- Fresher cabin crew salary: often quoted approximately in the ₹28,000 – ₹35,000 per month range for new joiners.
- With some videos mentioning ₹35,000 – ₹40,000 per month for cabin crew once you are confirmed and have regular flying hours.
Star Air does not publish a full official salary grid publicly, so these numbers should be treated as typical 2024–2025 ranges, not fixed 2026 figures.
FlyBig cabin crew salary
For FlyBig cabin crew salary, there is no clear, official or large‑sample salary table publicly shared. Available content focuses more on job openings and interview guidance, not exact pay scales.
However, based on:
- Industry‑wide cabin crew salary data for domestic airlines, where freshers usually earn ₹25,000 – ₹40,000 per month, and
- The fact that most regional airlines follow similar domestic pay bands,
a realistic expectation for 2026 is that FlyBig cabin crew salary for freshers will fall in the general domestic band of about ₹25,000 – ₹40,000 per month including allowances, with experienced crew earning more as flying hours and rank increase. These are industry‑based estimates, not official FlyBig slabs.
Quick comparison: airline‑wise cabin crew salary baseline (latest confirmed data)
Note: This table uses latest reliable 2025 data as a baseline. Actual 2026 cabin crew salary will usually be in the same range with a small yearly hike.
| Airline | Typical fresher monthly salary (latest reliable data) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air India | About ₹53,000 – ₹61,000 per month | Among the highest in India; senior crew can reach ₹80,000 – ₹1,00,000+ per month. |
| Air India Express | About ₹50,000 – ₹61,000 per month | Strong pay due to international / medium‑haul routes. |
| IndiGo | About ₹35,000 – ₹50,000 per month (after training) | Very stable, large domestic network. |
| SpiceJet | About ₹28,000 – ₹38,000 per month for freshers; up to ₹40,000 – ₹55,000 with a few years’ experience | Yearly hikes often around 5–8%. |
| Akasa Air | Around ₹35,000 – ₹40,000 per month after training | Training stipend ₹18,000 (freshers). |
| Alliance Air | Around ₹39,000 per month for 70 hours (from official advert); averages towards ₹50,000 per month with experience | Government‑linked regional carrier. |
| Star Air | Approx. ₹28,000 – ₹35,000+ per month for freshers | Regional airline; numbers are indicative. |
| FlyBig | No official slab; typically expected ₹25,000 – ₹40,000 per month in line with domestic averages | Estimate based on overall Indian cabin crew salary data. |
Important points to remember for 2026
- 2026 cabin crew salary in India will mostly be the 2025 pay scale plus a modest annual increment. Airlines rarely double salaries overnight; increases are usually in single‑digit percentages unless there is a major policy or merger.
- Allowances matter a lot: flying hours, layover pay, night duty allowance, and sector allowances can change your in‑hand salary significantly, especially at airlines like SpiceJet and Akasa Air.
- Base city and route type (domestic vs international) strongly impact your total income. Metro hubs with international routes (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru) often mean higher earnings.
- For smaller regional airlines like FlyBig and Star Air, expect salaries to sit near the lower–middle part of the domestic band, but with lighter networks and sometimes more predictable schedules.
Simple FAQ
What is the average cabin crew salary in India in 2026?
Using 2025 data as a guide, most cabin crew salary packages in India range from ₹30,000 – ₹50,000 per month for freshers, and ₹60,000 – ₹1,20,000+ per month for experienced or senior crew, depending on airline and routes.
Which airline pays the highest cabin crew salary in India?
Among Indian carriers, Air India and Air India Express currently offer some of the highest fresher and senior cabin crew salaries, often starting above ₹50,000 per month and going up to ₹1,00,000+ per month for senior positions.
Is IndiGo cabin crew salary good for freshers in 2026?
Yes. IndiGo cabin crew salary for freshers is typically around ₹35,000 – ₹50,000 per month including allowances, with strong job stability and growth, which makes it attractive for 2026 aspirants.
What is a good target salary for new cabin crew in 2026?
If you are joining any major domestic airline in 2026, a realistic and good target for your first year is ₹30,000 – ₹50,000 per month total (including allowances), with scope to cross ₹60,000+ per month in a few years as you gain experience and move to senior roles or international sectors.
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