Flight Attendants
Overview
Introduction
Flight attendants are responsible for the safety and comfort of airline passengers from the initial boarding to disembarkment. They are trained to respond to emergencies and passenger illnesses. Flight attendants are required on almost all national and international commercial flights. There are approximately 119,300 flight attendants employed in the United States.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Median annual earnings of all flight attendants were $56,000 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The middle 50 percent earned between $42,320 and $68,850. Salaries ranged from less than $28,950 for the lowest paid 10 percent to more than $80,870 for the highest paid 10 percent. Wage and work schedule requirements are established by union contract.
Flight attendants ar...
Work Environment
Flight attendants are usually assigned to a home base in a major city or large metropolitan area. These locations include cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and St. Louis. Some airlines assign attendants on a rotation system to home bases, or they may give preference to the requests for certain home bases made by those with rank and seniority. ...
Outlook
Employment for flight attendants is expected to increase by 10 percent through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), or faster than the average for all careers. "Many airlines are replacing smaller regional aircraft with new, larger planes that can accommodate a greater number of passengers," according to the DOL. As a result, this change may increase the number of flight atten...