Air hostess salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare in 2026–27

Air hostess salary: award rates and allowances

If you work as a flight attendant in Australia, your air hostess salary is governed by the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020. The Fair Work Ombudsman sets minimum rates that apply from 1 July 2026. For a cabin crew member, the minimum hourly rate is $28.88, and the minimum weekly rate for a full-time employee is $1,097.40. This is above the national Minimum wage of $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week.

Flying allowance boosts your pay

On top of the base rate, you receive a flying allowance of $18.40 per scheduled block hour – the time you are actually operating a flight. According to the award, a typical full-time roster includes about 120 rostered hours per month, of which roughly 90 are block hours. That means an extra $1,656 per month from the flying allowance alone. A portion of this allowance ($6.88 per block hour) is a daily travelling allowance (DTA) for meals and incidentals. The explains that you must include allowances in your income but can claim deductions for actual expenses.

Take-home pay after tax and Medicare

Combining the minimum weekly rate ($57,065 per year) with the flying allowance ($19,872 per year) gives total annual earnings of about $77,000. Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• Tax on $77,000: $13,620 (includes the $4,020 fixed amount plus 30¢ for every dollar over $45,000)
• Low Income Tax Offset: $0 (phases out above $66,667)
• Medicare levy: 2% = $1,540 (full rate applies as your income exceeds the single upper threshold of $35,013)

Your take-home pay is approximately $61,840 per year, or $2,378 per fortnight. This is an estimate and does not account for salary packaging, HELP/HECS repayments, or the Medicare levy surcharge. For a more personalised calculation, use our Take-home pay tool.

How it compares to benchmarks

The air hostess salary sits well above the national minimum wage ($52,255 per year) but below the full-time adult ordinary time earnings average of $108,352 per year (ABS, May 2026). The flying allowance is a key differentiator – without it, the base rate alone would be $57,065, which is closer to the all-employees average of $82,118. The award also includes penalty rates for overtime, weekends, and public holidays, which can further boost your take-home pay.

Record keeping and deductions

The guide outlines common work-related deductions for flight attendants, such as uniforms, grooming products, and union fees. You can also claim the DTA portion of the flying allowance if you have receipts for meals and incidentals. Keeping a logbook of expenses is essential. For more on tax, see Tax and Medicare.

Superannuation

Your employer must contribute super at 12% of your ordinary time earnings (from 1 July 2026) up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. On a $77,000 salary, that’s an extra $9,240 per year into your super fund. This is not deducted from your take-home pay – it’s on top of your salary. Learn more about Super.