We spoke to American Airlines, Delta, and United, and each airline generally discourages flight attendants from accepting tips. That's pretty much the rule across the board — except for Frontier Airlines. In 2019, the airline introduced tipping options for onboard purchases of food and drink.

In the standard aviation industry of 2026, tipping flight attendants is generally not expected and is often prohibited by airline company policy. Most flight attendants consider themselves safety professionals first and service providers second; they earn a professional salary and do not rely on tips like restaurant staff. In fact, many crew members might find a cash tip awkward or offensive. However, a small minority of low-cost carriers (like Frontier in the past) have experimented with "tipping" prompts on their tablets, though this remains controversial. If you want to show appreciation, the "gold standard" is a positive commendation letter or mentioning their name in the post-flight survey, which can lead to internal awards or promotions. Small gifts like sealed chocolates or Starbucks gift cards for the entire crew are also widely accepted and appreciated, especially on long-haul flights or during holiday travel.