By country / Malaysia
How to become cabin crew in Malaysia
Two large home carriers, low barriers to entry, and multilingual crew who travel well.
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Malaysia is a comparatively kind market for new cabin crew. Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia both recruit regularly and both hire complete beginners, with AirAsia in particular running frequent walk-in recruitment days in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang and Johor Bahru. Batik Air Malaysia and MASwings add further openings. Entry requirements are accessible - SPM-level education, a minimum height or arm reach, and no prior experience needed - which is why walk-ins draw very large crowds.
The pay reality is the flip side. AirAsia entry crew have a base of roughly RM2,300-2,800, reaching RM3,500-5,000 with sector allowances and incentives; Malaysia Airlines new hires typically land around RM3,500-4,500 once flying, rising to RM5,000-6,500 with experience and higher monthly hours. It is a workable living wage in Malaysia rather than a high income, and it is heavily roster-dependent.
Malaysian crew have a genuinely strong international profile: Malay, English and often Mandarin or Tamil, in a service culture that Gulf and Asian carriers rate highly. Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific all recruit in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysians who put in two years at AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines first tend to convert well.
What Malaysia employers and recruiters expect
Age
Typically 18-30 for AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines; 21+ at joining for Emirates and Qatar Airways.
Education
SPM with credits including English is the standard minimum; a diploma or STPM helps at Malaysia Airlines but is not required. AirAsia hires with no prior experience.
Height / reach
AirAsia requires a minimum height of 157 cm (female) and 170 cm (male) with an arm reach of 210 cm; Malaysia Airlines applies similar standards. Emirates and Qatar require 212 cm reach on tiptoe.
Language
Bahasa Malaysia and English are essential; Mandarin, Cantonese or Tamil is a significant advantage with Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia's regional routes, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines.
Medical
CAAM-recognised cabin crew medical, plus a swim test, before the initial safety and emergency procedures training.
Documents
Malaysian passport valid 12+ months, MyKad, SPM certificate, and a clean criminal record for airport pass clearance.
Airlines that recruit here
Malaysia AirlinesActively hiring · Kuala Lumpur
AirAsiaActively hiring · Kuala Lumpur
EmiratesActively hiring · Dubai
Qatar AirwaysActively hiring · Doha
Etihad AirwaysActively hiring · Abu Dhabi
Singapore AirlinesActively hiring · Singapore
Cathay PacificActively hiring · Hong KongWhat you can realistically earn
AirAsia cabin crew, entry
RM 2,300 - 2,800 base; RM 3,500 - 5,000 total per month
Base plus sector allowances, flying pay and incentives. Roughly USD 830-1,190 total at about RM4.2 to the dollar - and heavily dependent on how much you actually fly.
Malaysia Airlines cabin crew, new hire
RM 3,500 - 4,500 per month
Base plus standard flying allowances once regular flying starts. Roughly USD 830-1,070. International layover per diems add meaningfully on long-haul rosters.
Malaysia Airlines, experienced crew
RM 5,000 - 6,500 per month
Roughly USD 1,190-1,550, driven by higher monthly hours and seniority. Gulf carriers pay roughly RM 42,000-52,000 equivalent per month, tax-free with accommodation - the gap that drives most Malaysian Gulf applications.
The route to a Gulf or international carrier
Emirates and Qatar Airways hold open days and assessment days in Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific recruit Malaysians for Singapore and Hong Kong bases. Malaysian candidates generally do well on English, grooming and service instinct - the differentiators are physical and behavioural. Arm reach of 212 cm on tiptoe is the most common hard stop, and it is worth measuring properly at home rather than discovering it at the wall; AirAsia's own 210 cm reach standard is a useful benchmark. Tattoos visible in uniform, including wrists and the back of the neck, are disqualifying for Gulf carriers even where a local employer was relaxed about them. In the group exercise, the scored behaviour is facilitation - structuring the discussion, bringing in quieter participants, managing time - and culturally polite deference can be read as passivity, so practise speaking first and then handing over. State your languages explicitly: Mandarin and Tamil alongside Malay and English is a genuinely valuable combination for Emirates, Qatar, Cathay and Singapore Airlines, and many Malaysian candidates leave it buried at the bottom of the CV.
Your step-by-step plan
- 01Check your SPM results, get a passport valid at least a year, and measure your height and arm reach on tiptoe against a wall before anything else.
- 02Follow the AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines careers pages and verified social accounts for walk-in recruitment days - AirAsia announces these frequently and with short notice across several cities.
- 03Turn up to a walk-in prepared: printed CV with a professional photo, formal business dress, hair neatly styled, and originals of your SPM certificate and IC.
- 04List every language you speak with an honest level, including Mandarin, Cantonese or Tamil - this is the most under-used advantage Malaysian candidates have.
- 05In parallel, register on emiratesgroupcareers.com and qatarairways.com/careers and watch for Kuala Lumpur assessment days; also consider Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, which recruit Malaysians directly.
- 06After a year or two of flying, reapply internationally with your verified airline experience; it is a materially stronger application than a first attempt from zero.
Avoid these traps
- ⚠Private "cabin crew academies" charging RM5,000-20,000 with implied AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines placement are unnecessary. Both airlines hire beginners directly at walk-ins and run their own CAAM-approved safety training after selection. No private certificate improves your position at a walk-in.
- ⚠Fake recruitment announcements on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp using AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines branding and asking for a registration or "medical check" fee circulate constantly. Neither airline charges candidates anything at any stage. Verify every announcement against the official careers page.
- ⚠Be cautious of agents offering Gulf or Chinese carrier placement for a fee. Emirates, Qatar and Etihad recruit only directly, and charging recruitment fees is illegal under UAE and Qatari law. Any overseas placement offer should be checked against the employer's own careers site before you engage.
- ⚠Understand what you are signing on a low-cost contract: how much of your income is base versus sector pay, whether initial training is bonded, and which base you will be assigned to. A Kota Kinabalu or Kuching base with a KL cost expectation is a common and avoidable financial surprise.
Training providers in Malaysia
Listed for reference — remember that airlines train their own crew for free.
MAB Academy (Malaysia Airlines)
Kuala Lumpur · Free — airline-paid
Training runs after recruitment, so the entry battle is the assessment day, not a fee — the academy's paid courses are aimed at industry clients.
Do you actually meet the requirements?
Answer five questions about your age, reach, tattoos, languages and documents — we check them against every airline's published requirements and show you exactly where you stand.
Frequently asked questions
How to become a cabin crew in Malaysia with SPM only?
Attend an AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines walk-in recruitment day - both hire complete beginners with SPM-level education. You need credits including English, a minimum height of about 157 cm (female) or 170 cm (male) with a 210 cm arm reach, medical fitness, swim ability and a valid passport. The airline trains you after selection, so no paid academy course is needed.
What is the AirAsia cabin crew salary per month in Malaysia?
Entry-level AirAsia crew have a base of roughly RM2,300-2,800, with total monthly earnings usually between RM3,500 and RM5,000 once sector allowances, flying pay and incentives are added. Malaysia Airlines new hires typically reach RM3,500-4,500, and experienced crew RM5,000-6,500. Income moves with how much you fly in a given month.
Can Malaysians apply to Emirates or Singapore Airlines cabin crew?
Yes - both recruit in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysian crew are well regarded for language range and service standards. Emirates requires 21 at joining, a 212 cm arm reach and no tattoos visible in uniform; Singapore Airlines recruits Malaysians for Singapore-based roles. Apply only through the airlines' own careers sites - neither uses agents and neither charges any fee.