Airlines / AA · Grooming
American Airlines — Appearance & Grooming
A conventional US-major standard, set in company policy alongside the APFA contract: professional and understated, with no visible tattoos and no cover-ups accepted at assessment.
Grooming · American Airlines
- Hair
- Neat, clean and a natural colour, worn clear of the face and of service. American publishes no gendered length rule with its job postings.
- Make-up
- Not required by the published hiring requirements. A polished, professional presentation is what recruiters assess in person.
- Facial hair
- American does not publish its facial-hair rule externally and issues the appearance standard in training. Neatly groomed is the operating expectation — confirm with the recruiter if you wear a beard.
- Nails
- Short, clean and conservatively finished, safe to work around cabin equipment.
- Glasses & contacts
- Yes. Corrective eyewear is unrestricted; the requirement is corrected vision to standard and professional-looking frames.
- Piercings
- Earlobe piercings only, worn as discreet studs; visible facial, nose and body piercings are outside the standard.
- Jewellery
- Conservative — a watch, a wedding band, small earrings, plus the issued wings and name badge.
- Tattoos in uniform
- Nothing may be visible in uniform, and covering a tattoo with a plaster or heavy make-up is explicitly not accepted at assessment — recruiters look for it. The uniform's sleeve and collar lines decide what counts, so forearms, wrists, hands and neck are the exposures that matter.
- Headscarf
- American does not publish a headscarf option. Religious dress accommodation is a federal requirement in the US, so raise it with recruitment rather than reading the silence as a no.
- Uniform
- The Cole Haan collection introduced in 2016 — navy and grey with the AA red accent, worn with the issued wings.
Grooming rules change more often than any other requirement. Verify them on the airline's official careers page before you buy anything or book a hair appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can you have tattoos as American Airlines cabin crew?
Only tattoos the uniform covers. Nothing may be visible, and using plasters or heavy make-up to hide ink is not accepted at assessment.
Does American Airlines allow beards?
American does not publish its facial-hair rule externally; neatly groomed is the working expectation and the full standard comes in training. Ask the recruiter directly.
Can American Airlines flight attendants wear glasses?
Yes. Corrective eyewear is unrestricted — keep the frames professional.