How much will I make my first year as a flight attendant?
How Much Do Entry Level Flight Attendant Jobs Pay per Year? $28,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $46,500 is the 75th percentile.
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New flight attendants often spend at least their first year working on reserve status, which means they're on call to fill in for other crew members on flights with little notice. You receive payment for on-call shifts, and most flight attendants keep a travel bag packed and ready.
Can you make a living as a flight attendant? Yes, you can make a decent living as a flight attendant. The median salary is $61,640 per year and there are many opportunities to make more than that based on your experience level, the airline you work for and even your geographic location.
Space available seats in any cabin is part of their contract, so they're paying for that perk indirectly — it's not “free.” Airline employees put up with a lot and many are paid quite poorly, so it's a nice treat for them. But does consistently having full cabins diminish the experience and take away the exclusivity?
Flight attendants are only paid for their flight time. This means they are not compensated when they are walking through the airport to get to a gate or waiting for the aircraft to arrive. Their time clock does not start until the cabin door is closed.
When it comes to new flight attendants just starting out, the highest paying airlines are JetBlue, $32,000, and Southwest Airlines, $30,000. For seasoned flight attendants looking for earning potential, JetBlue, $103,000, and Alaskan Airlines, $113,000, are the highest paying airlines.
Flight attendants get paid per flight hour but have other pay mechanisms in place that guarantee they will receive a minimum pay for each trip. These mechanisms referred to as “RIGS” track the flight attendants total duty day and total time away from their base.
They can expect to spend 65-90 hours in the air, and an additional 50 hours preparing the airplane, processing passengers during boarding and performing post-flight procedures. Typically, flight attendants work 12-14 days and log 65-85 flight hours each month, not including overtime.
They often work nights, weekends, and holidays because airlines operate every day and have overnight flights. They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours.
Steps to Take to be a Flight AttendantIt's difficult and can take a long time. Airlines can take 3-6 months to get through the hiring process, that's if your resume makes it through the first cut. Intense Competition. We estimate there are 1 – 1.5 million flight attendant applications for 5,000 – 10,000 jobs.
But being a flight attendant is also a lot of work. There are long hours, early mornings, and late nights. There are also strict safety regulations that must be followed at all times. And while it can be tough juggling all of the different responsibilities, they always manage to keep things running smoothly.
At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.
For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.
Airlines provide a three- to six-week training program for their flight attendants. You will typically attend training for eight hours a day throughout the duration of the program. This training prepares you to use airport codes, make PA announcements, perform routine job duties and handle in-flight emergencies.
Cabin crew have to have a minimum of 7 days off per month. They can work up to 60 duty hours in 7 days, 110 hours in 14 days, and 190 hours in 28 days. Flight time must not exceed 100 hours in 28 days and 900 hours in a year (UK) or 1000 hours (Europe).
Aviation safety guidelines limit flight attendants to 95 work hours per month. Despite being paid for a full-time job, the hours are significantly less than 40 hours per week. Flight attendants often fly a two to four day trip and then, have the rest of the week off.
Typically, flight attendants work 12 to 14 days and log 65 to 85 flight hours on average each month, not including overtime. Flight attendants are only paid once the boarding doors are closed. There are two types of flight attendant schedules, reserve schedules, and fine holder schedules.
First YearFirst-year Delta flight attendants can expect to make between $33,000 and $45,000. The hourly wage for a new flight attendant at Delta varies with experience in previous roles. New flight attendants should expect to make $30.96 per hour during their first year at Delta.