A flight attendant career allows you to travel the world while making money. Many prestigious airlines offer lots of opportunities for flight attendants. This career brings great benefits and learning opportunities. Most importantly you will have the chance to travel all over the world with some of the best companies for flight attendants.
In this article, you will discover the highest-paying flight attendant companies. This guide also includes several airline reviews and salaries to help you choose the best one to jumpstart your exciting career as a flight attendant.
What Is a Flight Attendant?
A flight attendant is a member of an airline’s staff who ensures the safety and comfort of passengers during air travel. During a flight, they look after all passengers and other airline cabin crew members and ensure everyone is following the safety protocols. Flight attendants are also responsible for providing passenger services, such as serving meals and beverages.
Other important job duties of flight attendants also include providing safety instructions and medical care during aircraft emergencies. One of the most popular occupations in the aviation business is a flight attendant. You do not need a college degree, but you must finish the suitable training program and acquire the essential experience that employers look for.
How to Get a Flight Attendant Job
In this section, we give you some important tips on how to become a flight attendant. Airlines process a huge number of job applications, so you should invest time in training and obtaining all necessary qualifications. Below you will find some essential information on how to land a position as a flight attendant.
- Get the required education. Earn at least a GED or a high school diploma. However, those with a bachelor’s degree are most likely to get hired.
- Join a flight attendant school. You must join the flight training programs provided by airlines to gain the necessary flight attendant skills. At the flight training center, you will learn first aid, emergency procedures, and flight safety rules.
- Gain experience. Flight attendants are usually required to have at least one to two years of experience in customer service. This is a crucial skill for flight attendants since most of their tasks are focused on serving passengers and interacting with them during flights.
- Complete the on-the-job training. As part of their training, flight attendants must participate in practice flights. This can take several weeks and up to three months. You should complete this training and pass an exam to get a required FAA certificate.
- Get certificates. There are organizations such as the Inflight Institute and the Federal Aviation Administration that offer certification programs for flight attendants. Some examples of flight attendant certifications include the First Aid, Certified Aviation Manager, and Certified Travel Associate certifications.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Flight Attendant Companies
| Company | Salary for Flight Attendants |
|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | $74,543 |
| American Airlines | $63,964 |
| NetJets | $61,758 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | $61,434 |
| Air Canada Airlines | $57,057 |
| Southwest Airlines | $50,515 |
| United Airlines | $42,739 |
| Alaska Airlines | $40,439 |
| Allegiant Airlines | $35,574 |
| Horizon Air | $32,434 |
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, is a 96-year old airline, which is one of the oldest in the world. It was founded in Macon, Georgia and is currently headquartered in Atlanta. It operates in over 50 countries with more than 5,000 daily flights. Delta is also one of the biggest airlines in the United States.
What Does Delta Air Lines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Flight attendants at Delta Air Lines earn an average salary of $74,543 every year. They are considered some of the highest-paid flight attendants in the industry. They also get decent employee benefits such as health insurance, dental insurance, mental health insurance, a 401k plan, access to a profit-sharing program, and adoption assistance.
Delta Air Lines Reviews
Delta flight attendant reviews on Glassdoor mention an overall good experience working for this airline. Many flight attendants said that they have amazing colleagues and there are plenty of internal job opportunities at this company. They also love the benefits and the travel perks they receive. However, Delta has no flight attendant union. There are also inconsistencies in their sleep schedules.
American Airlines
American Airlines is another major airline in the United States that was founded in April 1926. This airline serves more than 2 million passengers every year and operates over 6,000 daily flights in more than 50 countries. American Airlines was formed when 80 small airlines merged. The company has more than 100,000 employees.
What Does American Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
American Airlines pays its flight attendants an average wage of $63,964 each year. The company offers competitive employee benefits such as group legal insurance, travel benefits, health care on-site, vision insurance, dental insurance, employee discounts, paid holidays, and dependent care.
American Airlines Reviews
According to several flight attendant reviews, this company offers job security and has good union management. Flight attendants undergo rigorous training, as well. However, some have complained about early mornings and scheduling conflicts. They must also work long hours, and the majority of the time, flight attendants work on holidays
NetJets
This airline was first named Executive Jet Airways in 1964 and became NetJets in 2002. This private jet company is currently headquartered in Ohio and employs about 7,000 people.
What Does NetJets Pay Its Flight Attendants?
The average flight attendant’s annual wage is $61,758 at NetJets. Experienced flight attendants can earn up to $100,191. Flight attendants also receive generous employee benefits, such as a health savings account (HSA), life and accident insurance, 401k retirement plan, health insurance, dental insurance, wellness programs, and disability insurance.
NetJets Reviews
Several previous and current flight attendants at NetJets mentioned that they love the flexible schedules and the travel perks it offers. They also work with friendly people. However, some of them said they work long hours and can be given difficult tasks.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines is a commercial airline founded in January 1929 and was first named Inter-Island Airways. In October 1941, the company’s name changed to Hawaiian Airlines. The firm serves 32 destinations and has a fleet size of 61 airplanes. It is currently headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has more than 7,000 employees.
What Does Hawaiian Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Hawaiian Airlines pays flight attendants an average annual salary of $61,434, according to Indeed. This is 88 percent higher than the average salary of flight attendants in the United States. They also receive medical plans, retirement plans, life insurance, disability insurance, and an employee assistance program.
Hawaiian Airlines Reviews
Flight attendants’ reviews mention that Hawaiian Airlines allows them to learn many safety procedures. It also values employees and provides a great work environment. However, an employee mentioned that they only have short breaks.
Air Canada Airlines
Air Canada was first established as Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) in April 1937. It is currently headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Air Canada Airlines employs more than 30,000 people. This airline provides more than 200 flight destinations which include 64 domestic flights and over 150 international flights in more than 40 countries.
What Does Air Canada Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Air Canada Airlines flight attendants earn an average salary of $57,057 every year, which is 42 percent higher than the average flight attendant salary in the United States. Flight attendants also receive employee benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, extended health care, childcare, and employee assistance programs.
Air Canada Airlines Reviews
Several employees love the travel benefits that the airline offers, even for part-timers. Flight attendant reviews show that this is an amazing company with a good work environment. It also offers great training and teamwork. However, others said they have had difficulty adjusting to their sleep schedule. Some also mentioned the long working hours and the poor management, as well.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest was first known as Air Southwest, founded in March 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King. It became Southwest Airlines in 1971. Currently, it has over 700 aircraft serving more than 100 destinations in 42 states. Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Texas and employs more than 50,000 people.
What Does Southwest Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
This airline pays an average salary of $50,515 to flight attendants, every year. Employees also earn benefits such as travel privileges, Southwest Airlines Gratitude (SWAG) points, dental coverage, 401k plan, a health savings account (HSA), medical coverage, and vision insurance.
Southwest Airlines Reviews
Southwest employees believe this company is one of the best companies in the world. Several flight attendant reviews on Glassdoor mention that this is a great company with a good work environment. They also love the benefits as well as the flexible schedule. However, one review says that management should improve.
United Airlines
United Airlines is a major airline in the United States founded in April 1926 and was first known as Varney Air Lines. It has 432 flight destinations and is currently headquartered in Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois. The company currently employs more than 90,000 people.
What Does United Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Flight attendants at United Airlines earn an average annual wage of $42,739. They also earn a wide range of employee benefits such as a 401k plan, medical insurance, professional development seminars, social clubs, a health savings account, employee assistance programs, childcare, and dependent care.
United Airlines Reviews
Reviews of flight attendants on Glassdoor mentioned that this airline employs great people, and flight attendants work with amazing colleagues. They love the flexible schedule and the travel benefits they receive. It also gives them many opportunities for career growth. However, flight attendants sometimes encounter unpleasant customers.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Alaska Airlines
The company was first established as McGee Airways in 1932. Alaska Airlines is also a member of the world’s third-biggest airline alliance, the Oneworld alliance. More than 16,000 employees are currently working at this airline. Alaska Airlines is based in SeaTac, Washington.
What Does Alaska Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Flight attendants earn an average annual salary of $40,439 at Alaska Airlines. The salary for experienced flight attendants at this airline can reach $95,000, per year. They also get employee benefits such as a 401k plan, holiday pay, an employee stock purchase plan, employee discounts, and an annual bonus.
Alaska Airlines Reviews
Flight attendant reviews show that Alaska Airlines is a great place to work. They love the flexible schedule and the flight benefits as well. The company also values its employees. Some reviews mention that flight attendants work in a fun yet challenging work environment.
Allegiant Airlines
Allegiant Airlines is North America’s fourteenth biggest commercial airline. Allegiant Air is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was founded in January 1997. As of 2018, this airline employs 5,000 people.
What Does Allegiant Airlines Pay Its Flight Attendants?
Flight attendants at Allegiant Airlines are paid $35,574 annually. They also earn a competitive benefits package that includes health insurance, a health savings account, mental health care, life insurance, a flexible spending account (FSA), and an employee assistance program.
Allegiant Airlines Reviews
Former and present Allegiant flight attendants mentioned the fast-paced environment at the company and the excellent growth opportunities it offers. However, others said that they experience scheduling challenges and there are some unexpected delays, as well. Flight attendants also work for long hours, and some mentioned that there is room for improvement regarding management.
Horizon Air
Horizon Air is a regional airline headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in May 1981. It has 45 flight destinations and is one of the largest regional airlines in the United States. More than 3,000 people are employed at this airline.
What Does Horizon Air Pay Its Flight Attendants?
The average wage for flight attendants at Horizon Air is $32,434, every year. This can range from $18,565 to $83,047. Employees are also given a benefits package that includes health insurance, dental insurance, paid holidays, employee discount, and a 401k plan.
Horizon Air Reviews
Several flight attendants shared their flight experience regarding this airline on Glassdoor. They mentioned that this is a great company to start your flight career. They also love the travel benefits as well as the friendly crews. However, management should improve, according to some reviews. Moreover, one flight attendant said there is no work-life balance at this airline.
Why You Should Become a Flight Attendant in 2022
You should become a flight attendant in 2022 because of the job growth this profession is experiencing and the fantastic opportunities to visit beautiful cities around the world. Airlines also offer flight attendants a wide range of benefits, including a layover allowance and paid accommodations during layovers.
Becoming a flight attendant is also a great opportunity for professional growth and development. The salaries for flight attendants can vary depending on each airline company, and the intensive training they receive on various safety equipment can be applied to other unexpected events they may encounter
Best Companies for Flight Attendants FAQ
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for flight attendants is expected to increase by 30 percent between 2020 and 2030. Moreover, 17,000 job opportunities are expected for flight attendants each year.
Some of the most important skills of a flight attendant are the ability to use emergency equipment and follow emergency procedures. They should be able to remain calm in stressful situations or during emergencies. Other soft skills include excellent communication skills, good interpersonal skills, amiability, and a caring attitude.
Yes, there are many training programs for flight attendants that are mainly provided by airlines. Completing the on-the-job training is also important in earning the necessary certificates. During these programs, you are given practical training on emergency procedures and flight duties.
Flight attendant qualifications include a GED or high school diploma, a height requirement of 4’11″ to 6’4”, fluency in English, and you must be 18 years old or older. Experience in customer service is also a big advantage. Flight attendants must not have any visible tattoos and shoiuld always strive to have a professional appearance.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
