Cover Letter for an Airline Job with No Experience: Top Tips

Sharing is caring!

Getting an airline job can be tough because this is the type of job that many people want.

Many people are drawn to these positions because they want the perks of cheap or free travel that many airlines offer employees. While the work is hard, the perks make these jobs worthwhile for many people.

Of course, the attractive nature of those perks also means that these jobs are competitive, so you need to shine at every point of the application process, starting with the cover letter.

If you don’t have any experience in the airline industry, you might worry that you don’t have a chance, but this isn’t the case.

There are many entry-level positions in the airline industry, and with a great cover letter, you can be one of the people who lands one of these in-demand jobs.
 

Getting ready to write a cover letter for an airline with no experience

Before you even start, think about the position that you’re applying for and what experience in your background might be relevant to working for an airline.

You can also review some cover letter do’s and don’ts so that you don’t make any common mistakes.

As an entry-level applicant, you are probably applying for a job as part of the cabin crew, also known as a flight attendant, or as a customer service representative.

For example, for the latter position, you might be the person who assists people in checking in for their flight, weighing their baggage and checking their tickets, passports and any other documents.

Both of these positions require strong customer service skills, so any background that you have that involved working with the public will be a helpful thing to highlight.

A position as a flight attendant also requires physical stamina. If your previous jobs involved a lot of physical activity and working with the public, such as waitressing or nursing, this will also be worth highlighting.

In addition to thinking about your own background, you should also research the company that you are applying to.

If you are applying to four different airlines, you may want to tweak each letter based on what you learn about the company and what they are looking for in their employees.

For example, you might be applying for jobs with a large well-known international carrier, a small domestic budget airline and a luxury charter airline.

For the first, you might emphasize any language skills that you have while for the luxury airline, you would mention whether you have a background working in luxury hotels or something similar.
 

Starting your cover letter for an airline job with no experience

Once you have done some research and thought about what experience and qualities you have that are relevant to the company and position, it’s time to get started.

Your letter should have your address at the top, either as the letterhead or as an address block. Then, it should have the date and the company you’re writing to.

Be sure to double-check that you are sending the letter to the right address and person.

If there is not a specific person you are supposed to address the letter to, you should use something formal for your greeting, such as “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”

One way to think about the greeting is that it should not draw attention to itself. This is one place where being generic is fine and even preferred.

In your opening paragraph, you should say what position you are applying for and why.
 

What to put in the body of your cover letter for an airline job without experience

The body of your letter should do a few things.

First, you should explicitly state how the other experience that you have has prepared you to work for the airline. For example, you might say, “My two years of experience doing customer service for Barney’s Pickle Company prepared me to deal effectively with people in stressful situations.”

It should also mention the qualities that you have that are relevant to the position that you are applying for.

Here are some of the qualities that would be important for this position:

• friendly
• detail-oriented
• calm under pressure
• team player
• strong problem-solving skills
• good customer service skills

Make sure that your focus is on the ways you will be an asset to the company. Avoid saying what the company can do for you, such as “I can’t wait to travel around the world on a discounted airline ticket!”

Another important thing you should do in this part of the letter is explain any irregularities on your resume.

For example, maybe there is a year’s gap that you spent backpacking around the world or caring for an aging family member.

You should also mention any foreign languages that you know and any first aid or similar medical training that you have.

As you write the body of your cover letter, keep in mind that it should be short and to the point, no more than three or four paragraphs and definitely under a page.

It should highlight the main points you want to make about why you are qualified for this position.
 

Writing the conclusion of your cover letter for an airline job without experience

In your conclusion, you should thank the person reading the letter for their time.

You can refer to your enclosed resume if you want, and you should say something that expresses that you are looking forward to hearing from them or to an interview.

“Sincerely” is a good neutral, professional closing that you can follow with your name.
 

Checking your cover letter for an airline job without experience

Once you have finished writing the letter, set it aside for a little while. A day or two is great but a few hours is fine if you don’t have much time.

Make sure that you have followed any specific instructions in the job posting about the cover letter as well.

Check your spelling and make sure that your word choices are formal and professional.
 

Sample cover letters for an airline job without experience

You shouldn’t send out the exact same cover letter to each employer. Each letter should be tailored to the specific position you are applying for and the employer.

You can use the examples below as helpful templates, but remember that your letters should be in your own words.

Sample letter for a flight attendant position with a major airline with no experience

In the letter below, the applicant has emphasized his foreign language background since this airline flies to other countries.

Sample letter for a customer service position with an airline with no experience

Note that in the letter below, the applicant addresses the issue of a gap in her resume.

Sample letter for a customer service position with a luxury airline

One reason it’s important to carefully research the company you’re applying for is so that you have an idea what they are looking for. Note how in the letter to a luxury charter airline below, the applicant makes a reference to the airline’s high-end service expectations.

Marcel Iseli

Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.