Commercial aviation contributes to the global economy and connects people across the globe on a daily basis; therefore, it requires a massive workforce to run smooth operations. With the increasing need for air travel, commercial aviation has grown significantly to meet demand, and more than ever, pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, operations staff, and ground staff are needed just to contend with day-to-day operations.

International airlines worldwide have a huge workforce of flight attendants who keep passengers flying safely around the world. These tend to be heavily dominated by US carriers, but some airlines outside the US also surprisingly have large numbers of flight attendants. In this guide, we’ll find out which airlines have the most and look at the facts and figures.

Largest Flight Attendant Workforce

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American Airlines, perhaps unsurprisingly, employs the largest flight attendant workforce of any airline in the world. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants represents the carrier’s approximately 28,000 cabin crew members, the biggest unionized work group at the Fort Worth-based airline. This figure covers mainline operations only and does not include regional express partners operating under the American Eagle brand. Based on current figures, it is suggested that the airline now has closer to 30,000 flight attendants.

In the autumn of 2024, the work group voted on a new five-year labor contract with a 20% increase in salary after tense negotiations. 87% of American Airlines flight attendants approved the deal, a relief for the airline, which was threatened with a flight attendant strike if the two sides could not agree. The deal took years of negotiations and the growing frustration of crew members.

According to Flight Attendant Pro, flight attendant pay at American Airlines starts at $38.61 per flight hour for a new trainee and a top rate of $84.50 for experienced flight attendants with seniority. In addition, boarding pay has been added at 50% of the hourly rate, an increased per diem, and improved 401(k) contributions and annual raises. It is important to understand that a flight attendant’s salary is mostly just flight pay plus per diem (overnight allowance), and often, duty time outside the flight is not counted.

The Other US Giants

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The other Big Four US carriers follow American Airlines closely, in terms of the flight attendant workforce. Southwest Airlines has approximately 20,000 flight attendants, all based domestically, given its point-to-point, no-international-route network. They operate primarily on a massive fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. In 2024, the airline and the Transport Workers Union negotiated a deal that set the shortest on-duty day and the highest pay in the industry. They also allowed for paid maternal and parental leave.

Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has a massive workforce of international and domestic flight attendants. They hired aggressively post-pandemic — bringing on a record 4,300 new flight attendants in 2022 and 5,000 in 2023 — though its total headcount figures are not disclosed publicly in the same way as unionized carriers. Although on May 28, 2026, International Flight Attendant Day, an article from their news hub suggested that they now have almost 30,000 flight attendants.

Delta’s Chief Operating Officer, Dan Janki, said: “Flight attendants play a critical role in delivering the experience our customers expect and deserve. Their professionalism, training and care are essential to running a safe, reliable operation and to building the loyalty that defines our brand. Their impact is felt on every flight, every day.”

United Airlines‘ flight attendant numbers are similarly large, given its extensive international network. An article on their website suggests that they have over 28,000 flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants. In 2025, the union announced an industry-leading salary, a signing bonus, improved scheduling, and quality-of-life improvements.

United Airlines’ CEO, Scott Kirby, said: “Our flight attendants are the best in the industry and have earned an industry-leading contract. I often say they are the face of our operation and the role they play every day – to keep people safe and deliver great service – helps make United the biggest and best airline in aviation history.”

The Largest International Operator

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Among non-US carriers, Emirates operates the world’s largest international cabin crew workforce. The airline’s cabin crew count surpassed the 20,000 mark in August 2023 and stood at approximately 21,500 heading into 2024. Since 2022, the airline has hosted recruitment events in 340 cities across 6 continents – truly reflecting the diversity of its cabin crew team and the destinations it serves. The cabin crew team represents over 140 nationalities with 130 languages spoken.

Emirates then launched a further recruitment drive, adding 5,000 additional cabin crew members in 2024 to staff its incoming Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X fleet deliveries. That puts Emirates’ current cabin crew workforce at approximately 27,000, well within striking distance of American Airlines’ total and larger than any other non-US carrier. The Emirates Group’s total workforce reached 54,619 employees in the UAE and global outstations as of its 2024–25 annual report. In 2026, The National reported that the airline needed to hire an additional 20,000 operational staff over the next five years.

Emirates’ cabin crew enjoy a competitive, tax-free salary and flying pay, hotel stays and layover expenses, and concessional travel and cargo. They can also stay in furnished accommodation, and transportation to and from work is included. Cabin crew receive an annual leave ticket, medical, life, and dental insurance, laundry services, and other benefits.

Why US Carriers Dominate The Count

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The US dominance in flight attendant headcount is reflected in a structural difference from international carriers. US airlines generally maintain a higher ratio of flight attendants per passenger than many international carriers due to strict FAA regulations that mandate minimum crew ratios based on seat count and aircraft type. The FAA requires a minimum of one flight attendant for every 50 passenger seats, regardless of how many passengers are actually onboard. Many international airlines use the total number of passengers instead of the total seat capacity when calculating crew, allowing them to fly with fewer crew members on quiet flights.

Flight attendants in the US are heavily protected by powerful labor unions, enabling them to have longer careers as flight attendants, compared to international airlines, which retire crew early and rarely have unions. This often means a higher crew turner, and there are strict rules on appearance and age, and there is no control over their employment contracts. US contracts dictate specific staffing levels and workloads and have robust seniority rules that prevent airlines from cost-cutting by using fewer crew.

US carriers operate some of the world’s densest domestic route networks with very high daily cycle rates. The four largest US airlines by fleet size, route network, employees, and passengers carried are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. They operate thousands of flights every day and employ the largest number of flight attendants in the industry. The US airlines may also offer different service philosophies and maximize passenger volume compared to international airlines.

Mainline Vs. Total Group

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Comparing airlines requires consistency when comparing the size of a flight attendant workforce, especially when looking at the mainline workforce against the total group. American Airlines’ 28,000 flight attendants are in the mainline fleet only, and the figure does not include regional partners such as American Eagle.

Airlines structured as large groups, such as the Lufthansa Group or IAG, employ cabin crew across multiple subsidiaries. For example, within the Lufthansa Group, there are: Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, Discover Airlines, ITA Airways and Brussels Airlines. IAG consists of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, LEVEL and Vueling.

Therefore, overall, the combined headcounts of multiple airlines as part of a group could theoretically approach or exceed American Airlines’ total flight attendant workforce. Flight attendants at American Airlines are a single carrier workforce of 28,000 plus crew that is heavily unionized. In comparison, the Lufthansa Group has around 20,000 flight attendants working across various airline subsidiaries with independent unions. Therefore, they cannot really be compared.

In Conclusion

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The airline with the highest number of flight attendants is currently American Airlines, with upward of 28,000 flight attendants, although exact figures are not currently available. Delta Air Lines follows closely behind, driven by strong post-pandemic recruitment campaigns. United Airlines also has a similar number of flight attendants in its workforce. Southwest Airlines has around 20,000 flight attendants. The only international airline that can compete is Emirates, with around 27,000 flight attendants.

The Big Four US airlines have some of the largest flight attendant workforces in the world. This is due to the sheer number of flights that fly every day domestically and internationally, and the number of flight attendants required by FAA regulations. Labor unions protect US flight attendants and their contracts and working conditions, whereas airlines such as Emirates do not have unions, have limited contracts, and a higher turnover of crew.

When comparing flight attendant workforces, it can be difficult as numbers are not always accurate or available and do not account for the actual turnover of crew. Information should also be consistently compared like-for-like, and not include regional subsidiaries. For example, mainline fleet numbers should be looked at and cannot be compared to groups that have numerous subsidiaries that often work under different conditions.