Costs and funding
Who pays for the flight?
Short answer
The cost of travelling to Germany is generally borne by the au pair themselves. The host family is not obliged to contribute to the flight costs. You are of course welcome to support your au pair voluntarily – for example after arrival, as a bonus after a successfully completed au pair year, or by covering the return flight.
Last updated: 12.08.2026
What lies behind it
The au pair generally finances their own journey to Germany. This means no mandatory flight costs arise for the host family.
Some families nonetheless want to support their au pair voluntarily. There are various ways to do this. For example, you could reimburse part of the flight costs after arrival, in addition to the first pocket money payment. Other families agree a bonus after a successfully completed au pair year, for example if the au pair has stayed with the family for at least ten full months.
Covering the return flight can also be a nice farewell gift. If the au pair then stays in Germany, for example for training or study, an agreed contribution can be paid instead. All of this is voluntary and not an obligation on the host family.
However, the arrangements around arrival and departure do matter: on arrival, you collect your au pair from the agreed airport. When the au pair arrangement ends, you also support them with departure – for example with the journey to the airport, or, if the au pair is moving to another host family within Germany, to the nearest suitable train station.
Our tip: if you would like to contribute voluntarily to travel costs, discuss clearly with your au pair beforehand when and to what amount you intend to do so. That way, both sides know from the start what has been agreed.