The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is the only union that represents every craft of workers in the airline industry. The Railway Labor Act requires that airline employees be organized on a system-wide basis for the purpose of collective bargaining.

Yes, the airline industry is one of the most highly unionized sectors in the world. In the United States, several powerful organizations represent different employee groups. Pilots are primarily represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) or the Allied Pilots Association (APA). Flight attendants often belong to the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA). Other staff, including mechanics and ground crew, are frequently members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters or the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). In 2026, these unions remain incredibly active, recently negotiating record-breaking contracts that have significantly increased wages and improved quality-of-life benefits for workers across major carriers like Delta, United, and American Airlines.