Flight attendants have received new contracts and wage increases at all three US legacy carriers over the past few years, allowing salaries to keep up with inflation and reflect the demanding nature of the work. American Airlines’ cabin crew received a new contract in 2024, while United Airlines flight attendants ratified a new contract in May 2026. Delta Air Lines flight attendants are not unionized, but they too have been receiving pay increases and benefits that are competitive with the other two.

But American, Delta, and United are the largest, most desirable employers in the US. These three are the top companies for flight attendants, as well as pilots, maintenance workers, and more. Most flight attendants in the US do not make as much as those at the top three carriers, and with the latest round of contracts, the wage differences have only further created a line between those at the top versus those everywhere else, further increasing the desirability of the legacy airlines.

Starting Salaries At The Legacies

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Flight attendants in the US are paid hourly, with there also being additional financial incentives that bump up take-home salaries. At United Airlines, new cabin crew members start out earning $38.21 an hour, which works out to roughly $45,000 a year after taking into account additional pay factors like per diem. The union-negotiated contracts include annual increases for each year of service, so while $38.21 is the hourly rate for first-years in 2026 (starting from July 30), this will increase to $39.36 per hour for first-years in July 2027.

In addition to the hourly rate, flight attendants are entitled to per diem, which is paid out for every hour that a crew member spends away from their home base and is intended to cover layover living expenses. Flight attendants earn extra money during boarding, as well as a bonus for taking a lead position on a flight, and can also opt to qualify for a purser position once they hold enough seniority. Flight attendants also have opportunities to pick up extra flying at premium pay rates, further boosting their paycheck.

As of the time of writing, American Airlines flight attendants are starting at $36.81 per hour, whereas Delta Air Lines cabin crew start out earning $38.40 per hour. Crews at all three airlines earn 50% of their hourly rate on the ground as boarding pay (traditionally a point of controversy for flight attendants), and are entitled to per diem. In addition, crews at all three have opportunities for premium trips, although seniority will limit opportunities for new flight attendants, and receive regular pay increases for each year with the company, as well as contract-stipulated raises.

Starting At The Regional Airlines

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To qualify for a job at a legacy carrier, aspiring flight attendants will need to gain experience at other airlines. Usually, this means starting at a regional airline, which in the US means SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways, Envoy Air, Endeavor Air, GoJet, Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, CommuteAir, Air Wisconsin and Horizon Air. These are essentially the entry-level jobs in a US-based flight attendant’s career, and while some regional airlines have unionized flight attendant groups, pay rates are far below that of the legacies.

Republic Airways pays new flight attendants about $27.82 per hour, while SkyWest flight attendants are paid around $30 per hour. Envoy Air cabin crew members start out making $29.73 per hour, and most regional airlines pay their cabin crew similar figures as these carriers. Each year, flight attendants get a raise, but this is still far below what the legacy carriers pay. What’s more, pay rates at regional airlines, as well as early rates at a legacy carrier, are below the US national average salary, despite how difficult the job can be.

It usually takes at least a few years for a cabin crew member to earn enough experience to qualify for a job at one of the legacies, and even that isn’t guaranteed. Many flight attendants also opt to work at the US’s wide list of budget and hybrid airlines, which pay slightly more than the regionals but still less than the three legacy carriers. As such, there’s a clear divide between those at the big three and the rest of the US’s flight attendants, a fact that is even more apparent once you look at senior cabin crew.

How To Earn Real Money As A Flight Attendant

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Seniority is everything for a flight attendant, and time with the company is the primary determinant behind a cabin crew member’s salary. At the US legacy carriers, flight attendants do experience major pay jumps and can take home well over $100,000 per year after ten-to-12 years with the company. This is based on the hourly rate, which is set at $87.47 at United as of the time of writing, $84.50 at American, and $86.32 at Delta Air Lines, with these rates set to increase in the coming years.

Time with the company dictates base salary pay, but seniority also helps with trip selection. Unlike pilots, flight attendants are qualified to work every aircraft, but trips are awarded based on seniority. Long-haul trips are usually more productive than those with short-haul flights because they involve significantly less time on the ground that’s paid at half the standard rate. In addition, short-haul trips with multiple segments introduce a higher risk of delays, whereas the risk is lower on long-haul trips.

High seniority allows you to hold the purser position on many flights (which comes with more pay), while also allowing you to have a greater chance of picking up additional flying. These trips are paid at a higher rate, which makes them appealing for those who can accommodate the new trip into their lifestyle. With these factors taken into account, senior flight attendants can earn over $120,000, which is a good salary, but still much lower than more specialized roles like pilots.

The Importance Of Seniority In A Flight Attendant’s Life

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Time with the company determines a flight attendant’s hourly rate, but overall seniority also determines a flight attendant’s base. Within a base, the crew member’s relative seniority then determines their schedule for the month, which is crucial to their take-home pay. On a basic level, flight attendants can either select a reserve schedule or a line, with a reserve schedule essentially placing a crew member on call for most of the month, while a line is essentially a set schedule.

Most US airlines operate with a preferential bidding system (PBS) for flight attendants, which essentially allows cabin crew to build their own lines for the month using a variety of factors. This can allow flight attendants to build more productive schedules, but PBS also takes into account other elements like layover cities and days off. The system then awards a line that resembles the inputs as closely as possible based on seniority, and higher seniority generally allows crews to hold more productive lines. Meanwhile, reserve schedules run more junior than lines.

Two flight attendants can find themselves bringing home significantly different salaries depending on how they structure their schedules, even if they have similar seniority. Reserve schedules come with fewer hard days off and pay less, but this can also be desirable for crew members who may need a specific day off during the month because of how junior reserve schedules usually go. In addition, contracts stipulate that flight attendants are entitled to a minimum guarantee each month, with the number differing for reserve schedules and lines.

Differences With Pilot Pay

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Pilots’ pay is structured very similarly to that of flight attendants, with hourly rates being the primary component of a flight crew member’s paycheck, while pilots are also entitled to per diem and potential premium pay (if awarded the trip). The biggest difference between the two groups concerning pay is that pilot pay scales are also dependent on the aircraft and position. A pilot’s base, aircraft, and position combination is a semi-permanent choice that can’t be changed until vacancies are awarded, whereas flight attendants can move between different planes and positions.

Just like flight attendants, pilots either fly with a line or reserve schedule and can pick up trips at premium pay. In addition, flight crew members need to first start out working at a regional airline before being qualified to apply at either a budget airline or a legacy carrier. First-year salaries at all three groups of airlines are generally close to $100,000 per year, increasing with each year spent at the company. However, salaries at the legacy airlines rise significantly more than at other carriers, making them more desirable companies for pilots.

One unique part of the industry that’s common between pilots and flight attendants is that seniority is king. When you switch to a new company, you start at the bottom of the seniority list regardless of your overall experience in the job or industry. As such, once a pilot or flight attendant gets hired at their destination company, they usually remain for 30 years, 40 years, or even longer in the case of flight attendants (who do not have a mandatory retirement age).