If you are on a standby and get assigned a sequence, you will be paid the value of your sequence and 1 hour for every 1 ¼ hours you were on standby (up to the report time of the sequence).

In 2026, the way flight attendants are paid for standby depends on whether they are on Airport Standby or Home Standby, but generally, they do not receive their "Full Flight Pay" during these hours. Most airlines pay a significantly lower "Standby Rate" or "Ground Pay" (often around $2 to $5 per hour) just for being available. Their "real" pay—the "Flight Hourly Rate"—usually only begins once the "Main Cabin Door" is closed or when the "brakes are released" for takeoff. However, many airlines provide a "Monthly Minimum Guarantee" (typically 70 to 80 hours); if a flight attendant spends the whole month on standby and never gets called for a flight, they are still paid for that guaranteed minimum number of hours at their base rate. A high-value peer insight: being on standby is often the least profitable part of the job, as you are "working" (staying in uniform or near a phone) without the high-value "per diem" and flight pay that comes with actual airtime. This is why junior crew members on "Reserve" often hope to be called for a "high-hour" long-haul trip to maximize their monthly earnings.