EasyJet will open cabin crew applications at London Gatwick, its biggest base, on Monday, October 26, and it is likely to be one of the largest recruitment rounds of the season.
As a reminder, EasyJet allowed candidates to pre-register their interest in upcoming vacancies over the summer. With pre-registration now closed, the Gatwick opening is the first vacancy that anyone can apply for. Applications are made online, and there’s no Open Day for this round.
Pre-registered over the summer? Check your inbox. EasyJet has started sending out invitations to join the talent pool for seasonal Summer 2027 roles at five bases.
Behind the drive is a busy Summer 2027 schedule. EasyJet has put more than 20 new UK routes on sale for next summer, with Gatwick picking up new services to Girona, Ajaccio in Corsica and Cagliari in Sardinia. Airlines typically train new crew over the winter so they are ready for the summer peak, which is why Gatwick’s hiring is happening now.
Life as EasyJet Cabin Crew at Gatwick
EasyJet is the biggest airline at Gatwick, flying to destinations across Europe and North Africa. The flying is short-haul and high-frequency: usually two or four flights a day, returning to Gatwick at the end of each duty. Overnight stays away from base are rare, so you’ll sleep in your own bed most nights.
Last year’s Gatwick vacancies used a 5/4/5/3 roster: five days on, four off, five on, three off. Part-time options were offered once training was complete. Expect a mix of very early starts and late finishes, since the first summer departures leave around dawn and the last flights land into the early hours.
Gatwick joiners also have one practical advantage. EasyJet’s four-week initial training course runs at its training academy at Gatwick itself, so there’s no hotel stay and no time away from home during training.
Insight: EasyJet’s flight pay increases with the length of each flight, so a base with plenty of longer sectors can add up over a month. Gatwick’s network includes lots of four-hour-plus holiday routes to places like the Canary Islands and Cyprus, and busy leisure flights tend to be good for onboard sales too.
What’s the Package?
EasyJet’s UK cabin crew are represented by Unite, and pay is collectively bargained. Here’s what to expect:
- Salary: basic pay starts in the low £20,000s, with structured increases for each year of service. UK crew are partway through an inflation-linked pay deal agreed in late 2025, so the figure on the vacancy may be slightly higher than older guides quote.
- Flight pay: an additional payment for each flight, which rises with the length of the sector.
- Commission: 10% on everything you sell onboard from the CAFE.SHOP range, including alcohol.
- Training: a four-week initial course at the Gatwick academy.
- Travel benefits: discounted staff travel on EasyJet for you and eligible family members, subject to seat availability, plus discounted travel on other airlines through industry schemes.
- Pension: a contributory scheme, with the employer contribution raised to 7% under the latest pay deal.
- Career progression: a structured path to Cabin Manager, which typically opens up after around a year of flying.
We estimate that EasyJet cabin crew earn around £22,000 to £25,000 in their first year, once flight pay and commission are added to the basic salary. Your monthly earnings will vary depending on the flights you’re rostered. Gatwick sits in one of the most expensive parts of the country to live, and you must live within 90 minutes of the airport. With early report times, many crew rely on driving, so factor in fuel and staff parking. You’ll also cover the cost of your own referencing and criminal record check, which runs to about £100. Finally, check the contract type on the vacancy before you apply. EasyJet offers fixed-term, seasonal and permanent contracts, and last year’s Gatwick roles were fixed-term.
What Does EasyJet Look For?
You don’t need any aviation experience, but EasyJet asks for at least six months in a customer-facing or people-focused role, and the rest is about attitude. The airline builds its crew culture, which it calls the Orange Spirit, around four Promise Behaviours: Be Safe, Be Welcoming, Be Bold and Be Challenging. Expect the group exercise and interview to test all four, so have a real example ready for each. One to watch: “Be Challenging” means staying curious and embracing change, not pushing back on colleagues.
Checked against the easyJet careers site.
Two myths are worth clearing up. There’s no upper age limit, and EasyJet has been actively encouraging older career changers to apply. Its number of over-50s in the cabin has more than doubled since 2022, as we covered in EasyJet’s Over-50s Cabin Crew Numbers Have More Than Doubled Since 2022.
And if you’ve ruled yourself out because of tattoos, check the policy above before you do.
How to Apply
The process has three stages before an offer, and it’s shorter than it used to be:
- Online application. Submit your CV through the EasyJet careers website. It’s screened by an applicant tracking system before a person reads it, so keep it plain and simple, with no photos, columns or graphics. Use our free cabin crew resume templates as a starting point.
- Online assessments. Shortlisted candidates complete a verbal reasoning test, a situational judgement test and a workplace behaviour questionnaire. You can practise all three with our online assessment practice tests.
- Assessment Day. This is held either virtually or in person. Both formats include a group exercise and a competency-based interview, and the in-person event also includes a presentation from EasyJet about the role. Use the presentation to pick up details you can mention later in your interview, and remember the recruiters are watching how you engage from the moment you arrive. Our Assessment Day hub and interview preparation hub cover both formats.
- Talent pool and checks. Successful candidates join a talent pool until a training course is available, then complete a medical questionnaire, referencing and a criminal record check.
- Training. Four weeks at EasyJet’s Gatwick training academy before your first flight.
Applications open Monday, October 26 at careers.easyjet.com.
This page is part of our ongoing coverage of EasyJet cabin crew recruitment, from what the airline looks for to how each stage of the process works. If you're getting ready to apply, here's where to go next.
