Flight Attendant Salary
Along with the flight attendant salary, the profession comes with a lot of benefits. If you become a flight attendant, most airlines will offer:
- Flight Benefits for you & qualifying family members
- YOU WILL TRAVEL & SEE THE WORLD!
- Health Insurance
- Paid Vacation
- 401(k) or Other Savings Plans
Whenever considering a new career, it is always a good idea to research the salary it typically pays. Since The Travel Academy’s flight attendant school is just as concerned with your career after graduation as it is during class, we have put together this useful page of flight attendant salary information.
Contributing Factors
- Type of airline– Flight attendant salaries depend upon the type of airline he/she flies for. Main line carriers such as Delta, American, or United Airlines usually start flight attendants with higher salaries. Regional airlines like Mesa, PSA, or GoJet offer slightly lower salaries.
- Number of hours– Flight attendants salaries are referred to as “guaranteed hours/month.” Guaranteed hours range from 70-80 hours each calendar month, with starting pay between $17-26 per hour- depending on the air line and other factors. If flight attendants are on call (reserve status), or if they do not reach the guaranteed flight hours for the month, they are still paid for the total number of guaranteed hours.
Other Flight Attendant Salary Information
Flight attendants may be able to pick up additional flight hours- significantly increasing their earning potential. Flight attendants are also paid an hourly meal allowance known as a per diem (Latin for “per day”) whenever they work outside of their base location. Per diem is paid round the clock (even when you are sleeping!), in addition to the guaranteed hour salary. Per diem rates vary between $1.50 and $2.60 per hour-depending on the individual airline and whether the working flight is a domestic flight or international.
Airlines provide paid hotel accommodations as well as ground transportation services between the airport and hotel for crew members during scheduled non-base layovers. In addition, they offer excellent medical benefits, 401(k) packages, and flight benefits for all flight attendants and free/reduced airfare costs to any qualifying family members. In addition, you will receive hotel, car, and cruise discounts!
Once a flight attendant has gained a certain amount of knowledge and experience, they may qualify for other positions based on their performance, which can significantly increase their earning potential. These positions include Lead Flight Attendant, In-flight Support Coordinator, Base Supervisor, and even in the training or recruiting department!
“So far my experience at The Travel Academy has been absolutely amazing. The knowledge of the instructors combined with the hands-on experience has been amazing and helped me to retain an abundance of information. Not only has the experience at the school been great, but the friends I have made will last a lifetime! I would recommend The Travel Academy to anyone looking to get into the travel industry!”
Cody O. (AK)- Flight Attendant
Being a flight attendant is my lifetime goal and The Travel Academy prepared, helped, and motivated me to make my dream a reality. This whole experience was extremely amazing. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the instructors and staff; you will always be a part of my wonderful career. At The Travel Academy, we are family and there is a lot of teamwork to help each other and I am very grateful to be a part of it.