- Fight attendant salaries vary widely depending on seniority and number of hours worked.
- American Airlines pays the highest hourly rates for flight attendants, though pay at the Big 3 is fairly similar.
- United Airlines’ flight attendant pay has been the same since 2021 as they negotiate a new contract.
Flight attendants at American, Delta, and United don’t make nearly as much as their pilot colleagues, but the highest-paid cabin crew can take home a base salary of more than $70,000 a year — with some making six figures.
But the job is a far cry from your typical 9-5. It takes years of working grueling schedules and meeting high customer service and safety standards to reach the upper echelons of seniority at the US’ Big 3 airlines.
Flight attendants are paid a base hourly rate, plus a per diem bonus if they are away from the airport where they are based. Some are paid for boarding. They can also earn more money by working holidays, flying at night, or holding a specialized position. Airlines also typically pay profit-sharing bonuses.
Pay increases with each year of service up to the 13th year.
Most flight attendants are guaranteed a monthly minimum, which varies by airline — meaning they will be paid for at least a certain number of hours each month whether or not they fly it, minus certain circumstances. Many work more than the guarantee.
Pay scales obtained and verified by Business Insider show American offers the highest hourly rates, followed closely by Delta. United’s pay rates have been frozen since 2021 as the airline and union negotiate a new contract.
American Airlines
- First-year: $35.82
- 13th-year: $82.24
American offers the highest hourly rates thanks to a new contract ratified in September with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.
The deal, which took five years of negotiations partly due to the pandemic, increased pay by up to 20.5% at the date of signing. First-years start at about $36 an hour, while 13-year flight attendants make about $82 an hour.
American guarantees 71 hours of pay a month for those with a pre-planned “line” schedule. “Reserve” crew, or those on call, have a minimum of 75 hours.
This translates to at least $30,500 for first-year crew and $70,000 for thirteen-year veterans before taxes and other earnings.
As part of the new contract, pay will increase in October 2025 and again each year through 2029. By then, hourly rates will increase to a starting base pay of about $40 per hour
American added boarding pay to its latest contract at 50% of a flight attendant’s hourly rate, which is expected to go into effect in March. This will further up the cabin crew’s annual salary. Historically, crew were not paid for boarding time.
American has historically not paid a high profit-sharing bonus. In 2023, it was just 1.1%. The new contract increased that profit-sharing formula to match Delta’s, but the final amount will depend on American’s year-end earnings. For 2023, the airline was the least profitable of the Big 3.
Delta Air Lines
- First-year: $35.50
- 13th-year: $79.80
Delta’s flight attendants are not unionized. Their most recent pay bump was in June, which increased cabin crew salaries by about 5%.
First-year Delta flight attendants earn a base pay of $35.50 an hour, while 13-year crew members earn about $80 an hour.
Like American, Delta cabin crew get boarding pay equal to half of their hourly rate. In 2022, Delta became the first major US airline to offer the extra pay.
Flight attendant salaries at Delta vary based on hours worked a month and there is no contractual minimum.
Some Delta flight attendants who are trying to unionize say the lack of guaranteed hours could lead to lower pay than competitors.
A Delta spokesperson said flight attendants typically get 80 hours a month. This means first-year and 13-year flight attendants earn about $34,000 and $76,600 annually, before taxes and other earnings.
He added cabin crew can earn up to $1,200 extra annually for meeting monthly operating metrics.
Delta also consistently distributes the highest annual profit-sharing. It paid $1.4 billion to employees in 2023, which amounted to a bonus of 10.4% of employees’ eligible earnings.
United Airlines
- First-year: $28.88
- 13th-year: $67.11
United has the lowest first-year base pay at about $29 an hour. Thirteen-year flight attendants make about $67 an hour.
United guarantees 71 hours of pay a month for those with a line schedule, while a reserve crew member gets a minimum of 78 hours. United does not currently offer boarding pay.
That amounts to United first-years making at least $24,600 a year and 13-year flight attendants making at least $57,000 annually before taxes and other earnings.
Failed negotiations between United and its labor union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, have prevented pay increases, which is why the airline’s wages are comparatively lower. Mediation of a new contract has been paused until at least early this year, so United cabin crew are still being paid 2021 rates.
A United spokesperson told BI half of the airline’s cabin crew are at the top of the seniority pay scale, with average annual pay in that group hitting nearly $80,000.
That likely accounts for hours worked above the guarantee, as United said the crews have flexible schedules and can work when they want, or other ways to earn extra pay.
United said it has proposed a 22.5% raise and new boarding pay, among other offerings, as part of its contract negotiations.
The union told BI it wants industry-leading pay and better work rules and scheduling.
Despite lower comparative base pay, United flight attendants have earned high profit-sharing bonuses. In 2023, that was about 9.2% of their eligible annual salary.
Other ways flight attendants earn money
Extra pay opportunities can add tens of thousands of dollars to flight attendants’ base rates and put the most senior crew members well into the six figures.
This includes working overtime, flying on holidays or during nighttime, or if they hold a skilled position. Airlines also offer flight attendants free flights for personal use as part of their employment benefits.
Skilled positions can include being the in-charge “lead” or purser, working in the galley, or speaking a second language. The premium pay ranges from $1 to $7.50 extra per hour, depending on the aircraft and whether the flight is domestic or international.
Flight attendants also get per diem pay, typically $2 to $4 for each hour on duty away from home, to cover work-related expenses like meals, laundry, and transportation.
Senior flight attendants can gross $100,000 or more annually, depending on how many hours they work. Premium and special skills pay help boost that. They can fly more hours by bidding for more than their monthly minimum or picking up trips dropped by other crew members.
