Jetstar Pay Rates 2026: Cabin Crew & Airport Staff Pay
What Jetstar workers should be paid in 2026 — the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award floor by classification, casual loading, penalties, and where the Jetstar enterprise agreements sit.
Payroll & Compliance Editor · Registered BAS Agent, Cert IV Accounting & Bookkeeping
Who covers Jetstar workers — award or agreement?
Jetstar is the Qantas Group's low-cost airline, flying domestic, trans-Tasman and Asian routes with its own cabin crew, pilots, airport customer service and engineering staff. Cabin crew are employed through Jetstar and Qantas Group crewing entities, which is why several different agreements apply across the fleet.
Jetstar cabin crew sit on the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020 and airport staff on the Airline Operations—Ground Staff Award, with Jetstar enterprise agreements above them (below). The cabin crew award ladder is tabled below; agreement pay is built from base rates plus flying allowances that the award does not capture.
The federal awards relevant to Jetstar roles:
- Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020 (MA000047)
- Airline Operations—Ground Staff Award 2020 (MA000048)
Workforce snapshot. In the 2024-25 Workplace Gender Equality Agency reports, Jetstar Airways Pty Limited, Jetstar Group Pty Ltd reported 4,717 employees (part of the Qantas Airways Limited group, 25,017 employees in total, 0.2% casual and 44.1% women). Source: WGEA 2025 Public Data File, data.gov.au (CC-BY 3.0 AU).
Cabin crew award floor (1 July 2026)
Flight attendants sit on the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020 (MA000047):
| Classification | Minimum rate |
|---|---|
| Cabin crew member | $28.88/hr |
| Cabin crew supervisor (narrow-bodied aircraft, 4 or more crew) | $33.69/hr |
| Cabin crew manager (wide-bodied aircraft) | $39.36/hr |
Cabin crew pay under an agreement is built from a base salary plus flying, overnight and meal allowances that the award floor does not capture — the agreement document is the source for those.
Source: Fair Work Commission modern awards pay database, current-operative rates (1 July 2026 annual wage review). Casual figures add the 25% casual loading.
Airline ground staff award floor (1 July 2026)
Ramp, baggage and aircraft-servicing staff sit on the Airline Operations—Ground Staff Award 2020 (MA000048):
| Classification | Permanent | Casual (incl. 25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Worker 1 (entry — first 3 months) | $25.74/hr | $32.17/hr |
| Aircraft Worker 2 (baggage, ramp, cleaning) | $26.44/hr | $33.05/hr |
| Aircraft Worker 3 (licensed equipment operator) | $27.08/hr | $33.85/hr |
| Aircraft Worker 4 (leading hand) | $27.97/hr | $34.96/hr |
| Tradesperson | $29.45/hr | $36.81/hr |
| Aircraft Maintenance Engineer | $32.13/hr | $40.16/hr |
Airport rosters run around the clock — the award's shift, weekend and public holiday loadings and its minimum-engagement rules are where most ground-crew pay disputes sit.
Source: Fair Work Commission modern awards pay database, current-operative rates (1 July 2026 annual wage review). Casual figures add the 25% casual loading.
The Jetstar enterprise agreements
Enterprise agreements set rates above the award, with their own classification structures and allowances. Current Jetstar agreements in our corpus (4 in total):
- Jetstar Airways Engineering & Maintenance Enterprise Agreement 2023 — approved April 2023, nominal expiry 31 December 2026.
- Jetstar Airways Cabin Crew Agreement 2022 — approved June 2023, nominal expiry 30 April 2026.
- JETSTAR / ASU AGREEMENT 2023 — approved May 2023, nominal expiry 31 March 2026.
- JETSTAR AIRWAYS CABIN CREW (WIDEBODY) AGREEMENT 2023 — approved June 2023, nominal expiry 30 September 2025.
We don't reproduce agreement dollar figures here — the agreement covering your site, state and stream is the document to read. Find your agreement, then your classification, then your pay point, and compare it with your payslip. The award tables on this page are the floor every one of these agreements must beat.
Common aviation pay issues at Jetstar
The patterns worth checking on a Jetstar payslip:
- Agreement pay grades not applied after a transfer of business or franchise change.
- Rostering and shift-change penalties under the agreement missed on short-notice changes.
- Unpaid sign-on, handover and travel at the start and end of shifts.
- Allowances (meal, travel, relieving) dropped when payroll systems change.
What to do if your pay looks wrong
Match your payslip to your classification in the agreement (or the award tables above), and price any gap with our back-pay calculator. Raise it in writing with payroll or your manager first — most underpayments are fixed at that step. Unresolved, the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) recovers underpayments at no cost, up to six years back, and your union can run the claim for you. Not sure which instrument covers you? Ask our AI advisor with your role and location.
FairWork Mate AI
Check your own pay with the advisor
“I work at Jetstar. Am I being paid the right rate for my age and hours — and are my weekend and public holiday penalties correct?”
Cited answers grounded in the Fair Work Act, your award and the Fair Work Commission decisions behind them. Free to start.
Ask the advisor →Pro is $29.99/mo for 150 questions, or a $4.99 Day Pass covers 25 questions for 24 hours. See plans
Get pay and rights updates for your job
Free email updates when award rates, the minimum wage or workplace laws change.
Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Official resources
General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.
Related articles
What Swissport workers should be paid in 2026 — the Airline Operations—Ground Staff Award floor by classification, casual loading, penalties, and where the Swissport enterprise agreements sit.
Superannuation Guarantee Rate 2026-27: 12% (Unchanged) + Payday Super RulesThe super guarantee rate is 12% for 2026-27 (unchanged since 1 July 2025). From 1 July 2026, super must reach your fund within 7 business days of payday.
Minimum Wage History Australia: 2025 vs 2026 Comparison & Annual IncreasesTrack Australia's minimum wage increases from 2024 to 2026. Compare $23.23/hr (2024) to $24.95/hr (2025) to $26.44/hr from July 2026. Percentage increases, FWC annual review timeline, and how award rates change.
Penalty Rates Australia 2026: Saturday, Sunday & Public Holiday PayYour weekend and public holiday penalty rates by award — retail, hospitality, fast food & more. Free calculator shows exactly what you should earn per hour.
Six years running payroll for a Western Sydney commercial builder before moving to compliance writing and contract payroll. Registered BAS Agent (TPB). Cert IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. Writes about pay calculations, superannuation, and the 2026 Payday Super rollout. Based in Cabramatta, Sydney.