How much do flight attendants make?
Flight Attendants salaries
Flight attendants make an average of $50,000 per year and enjoy a variety of benefits. These include free or discounted travel, flexible hours, and a variety of job opportunities. Flight attendants also receive medical and dental insurance, retirement plans, and paid vacation. They also have the opportunity to work in different countries and experience different cultures.
What is a Flight Attendant's Starting Salary?
Starting salaries for most airlines hover around $30,000 per year. This number does not include other benefits a flight attendant might get. Such as free travel and discount coupons, health insurance, 401K, etc…
As a new-hire, you should receive a pay raise after your probationary period. This will be between 6 to 12 months after your hire date.
Flight Attendant's Median Pay
According to the U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS the estimated median pay for flight attendants is $64,326 per year in the U.S. This includes an average salary of $39,884 per year.
And an estimated additional pay of $24,442 per year. Which could come from bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing.
According to Salary.com and Indeed.com, senior flight attendants can make over $100,000 per year.
How are Flight Attendants' Salaries Determined?
flight attendant pay is based on an hourly rate which is determined by the union contract. The union contract also sets raises. Both raises and the hourly rate is based almost entirely on seniority.
The advantage to this is you’ll get a guaranteed yearly pay raise.
Each airline has a different labor contract, so one airline may pay a higher hourly rate than another.
Bellow is an example of a flight attendant pay scale from SKYWEST (2022).
If you assume working 40 hours a week for the first year. Your yearly pay would be $43,440 for your first year!
$20.55 hr for the first 6 months = $ 21,372
$21.22 hr for the second 6 months = $22,068
Ways Flight Attendants can Increase their Pay
Other items that can impact a flight attendants salary
- Qualifications and skills: if you can speak other language (language of destination LOD)
- Location: Airlines pay is dependent on the cost of living in the region the flight attendant is based
- The airline
- If you work night shifts (red-eye flights)
- the number of flight hours you choose to fly in a given month
- layover allowances
- Seniority and position
- Do international flight attendants make more money? YES, if you work international flights, you may be paid a higher rate.
- Lead flight attendants are given extra pay
- flight attendants who work certain holidays could be paid time and a half
- Many airlines will pay higher rates if the flight attendant can work less desirable times of the day, week or year
Sometimes you can earn extra money by flying more than the legal monthly flight hour limit. This is sometimes referred to as being on a flight hour option. You could elect, for example, to be on a 95-hour or 105-hour option. This could mean an extra $400 – $800 per month or more
Commissions
Commissions can increase your pay, but not all airlines offer them.
Each airline that offers commissions, has a different commission scheme. The total commission could be divided up by the cabin crew so that everyone gets a commission. In other airlines, crew members that sell items are the only ones that get the commission.
If your airline offers commissions. They can come from either credit card sales, Duty free or catering sales. But not all three.
Duty free and Catering sales
The commission can be anywhere between 10 to 20% on duty free or Catering sales made during the flight.
Credit Card Sales
American, Delta, Spirit and Frontier Airlines take advantage of the fact that the passengers of the plane have no way to get away from their sales people in flight.
So flight attendants make pitches for frequent flier credit cards. These cards are attached to the airline the flight attendants are working for.
Different airlines pay commissions at different rates.
But if the in-cabin sales pitch is successful. The airline can pay around $50 for an approved application.
Commissions
Commissions can increase your pay, but not all airlines offer them.
Each airline that offers commissions, has a different commission scheme. The total commission could be divided up by the cabin crew so that everyone gets a commission. In other airlines, crew members that sell items are the only ones that get the commission.
If your airline offers commissions. They can come from either credit card sales, Duty free or catering sales. But not all three.
Duty free and Catering sales
The commission can be anywhere between 10 to 20% on duty free or Catering sales made during the flight.
Credit Card Sales
American, Delta, Spirit and Frontier Airlines take advantage of the fact that the passengers of the plane have no way to get away from their sales people in flight.
So flight attendants make pitches for frequent flier credit cards. These cards are attached to the airline the flight attendants are working for.
Different airlines pay commissions at different rates.
But if the in-cabin sales pitch is successful. The airline can pay around $50 for an approved application.
Flight attendant Job Outlook
The job outlook for flight attendants is very strong. According to the U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS the estimated growth in the field, out to 2031 will be a 21% increase in jobs. Which is a much faster increase than average! Which translates to an increase of 22,100 jobs from 2021 to 2031. Over the decade there should be about 18,100 openings for flight attendants on average each year. That includes new openings and openings to replace workers who quit or retire.
During your career, you could have the opportunity to go into management. You could become a supervisor, interviewer or a teacher of new-hire flight attendants. You may also be able to get a union position.
What is flight time, block time, or hard time
It is essentially unpaid labor.
So the time you spend:
- Getting to the airport
- sleeping overnight in hotel rooms before your return flight
- the time you’ll spend in the terminal before the flight
- standing around in the airport between flights
- the time you spend at the flight briefing
- the time spent helping passengers during boarding and deplaning
- and even if the flight is delayed
you will not get paid for.
You’ll be paid between the time the plane pushes back from the gate to the time it arrives at the destination gate. Usually called ‘pay per flight hour’ or ‘block time’.
Where does the term ‘block time’ come from?
Your time starts when the blocks in front of the plane’s tires are removed “off blocks”. And the plane is pushed back from the departure gate.
Your time stops when you arrive at the destination gate and the blocks are placed in front of the plane’s tires “on blocks”.
What is flight time, block time, or hard time
It is essentially unpaid labor.
So the time you spend:
- Getting to the airport
- sleeping overnight in hotel rooms before your return flight
- the time you’ll spend in the terminal before the flight
- standing around in the airport between flights
- the time you spend at the flight briefing
- the time spent helping passengers during boarding and deplaning
- and even if the flight is delayed
you will not get paid for.
You’ll be paid between the time the plane pushes back from the gate to the time it arrives at the destination gate. Usually called ‘pay per flight hour’ or ‘block time’.
Where does the term ‘block time’ come from?
Your time starts when the blocks in front of the plane’s tires are removed “off blocks”. And the plane is pushed back from the departure gate.
Your time stops when you arrive at the destination gate and the blocks are placed in front of the plane’s tires “on blocks”.
Benefits
What Other Benefits Do Flight Attendants get?
- Health insurance
- dental care discounts
- crew discounts or compensation at many hotels
- crew discounts at rental car companies
- crew discounts at Fitness and Beauty centers
- retirement plan
- reimbursement for expenses
- travel benefits
Travel Benefits
As an employee of the airline, you get free or discounted airfares to anywhere the airline flies. This discount is offered by pretty much all airlines. Sometimes it may also cover your family and friends as well.
This is called flying standby.
Let me explain what “flying standby” means.
Step 1) you’ll want to get to the airport as early as possible. Maybe a day or two early!
Step 2) you’ll need to tell the ticket agent you’re there, that you’re an employee of the airline and where you want to go.
Step 3) then you wait a very long time!
You will not be allowed on any plane unless there is an empty seat. And the ticket agent won’t know that until everyone else has boarded.
That also means that if you’re traveling with a group, like your family. Your group could be separated and sent on different flights.
You’ll end up standing in the airport for hours wondering:
- Will you be able to get to your friend’s wedding?
- Will you be able to spend Christmas at home this year?
So this benefit isn’t as great as it seems. But if you can work around the issues, it can be very nice!
Travel Benefits
As an employee of the airline, you get free or discounted airfares to anywhere the airline flies. This discount is offered by pretty much all airlines. Sometimes it may also cover your family and friends as well.
This is called flying standby.
Let me explain what “flying standby” means.
Step 1) you’ll want to get to the airport as early as possible. Maybe a day or two early!
Step 2) you’ll need to tell the ticket agent you’re there, that you’re an employee of the airline and where you want to go.
Step 3) then you wait a very long time!
You will not be allowed on any plane unless there is an empty seat. And the ticket agent won’t know that until everyone else has boarded.
That also means that if you’re traveling with a group, like your family. Your group could be separated and sent on different flights.
You’ll end up standing in the airport for hours wondering:
- Will you be able to get to your friend’s wedding?
- Will you be able to spend Christmas at home this year?
So this benefit isn’t as great as it seems. But if you can work around the issues, it can be very nice!
What is Per Diem?
Per diem is a daily allowance given to employees for expenses incurred while traveling for work. It is typically used to cover meals, lodging, transportation, and other incidentals. Airlines typically provide per diem to their flight attendants during layovers to cover the cost of meals and other expenses while away from home.o.
Are You Ready to Become a Flight Attendant?
Still wondering how to become a flight attendant?
Then check out our post: How To Become A Flight Attendant – The Ultimate Guide!
If you’re about to apply for a position at an airline, we wish you luck!
Hopefully the information we have given you has helped in achieving your goal!
Current Scale (2022)
First 6 months | $20.55 |
After 6 months | $21.22 |
After 1 Year | $25.20 |
After 2 Years | $27.06 |
After 3 Years | $28.93 |
After 4 Years | $30.74 |
After 5 Years | $31.84 |
After 6 Years | $33.43 |
After 7 Years | $34.86 |
After 8 Years | $36.10 |
After 9 Years | $37.15 |
After 10 Years | $38.19 |
After 11 Years | $39.21 |
After 12 Years | $39.87 |
After 13 Years | $40.86 |
After 14 Years | $41.39 |
After 15 Years | $41.92 |
After 16 Years | $42.45 |
After 17 Years | $42.98 |
After 18 Years | $43.54 |
After 19 Years | $44.15 |
After 20 Years | $44.62 |
After 21 Years | $45.09 |
After 22 Years | $45.56 |
After 23 Years | $46.03 |
After 24 Years | $46.50 |
After 25 Years | $46.97 |