Flight Attendant Salary Averages: Delta, American, United Pay Rates

• Fighter salaries vary greatly depending on length of service and number of hours worked.
• American Airlines pays its flight attendants the highest hourly rates, although the Big Three pay fairly similar salaries.
• United Airlines flight attendant pay will remain the same for 2021 as they negotiate a new contract.

Flight attendants at American, Delta and United don’t earn nearly as much as theirs. fellow pilotsbut the highest paid flight attendants can take home base salaries of more than $70,000 a year, with some making six figures.

But the job is far from your typical 9 to 5 job. It takes years of working grueling schedules and maintaining high standards of customer service and safety to reach the upper echelons of seniority at America’s Big Three airlines.

Stewardesses they are paid a base hourly rate plus a per diem if they are located outside the airport where they are based. Some are paid to land. They can also earn more money by working weekends, flying at night, or holding a specialized position. Airlines also typically pay profit sharing bonuses.

The salary increases with each year of service until the 13th year.

Most flight attendants are guaranteed a monthly minimum, which varies by airline. This means they will be paid for at least a certain number of hours each month whether they fly or not, minus certain circumstances. Many work beyond the guarantee.

Pay scales obtained and verified by Business Insider show that American offers the highest hourly rates, followed by Delta. United’s pay rates have been frozen since 2021 as the airline and union negotiate a new contract.

American Airlines

• First year: $35.82.
• 13th year: $82.24.

American offers the highest hourly rates thanks to a new contract ratified in September with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

The agreement, which took five years to negotiate due in part to the pandemic, increased wages to 20.5% at the time of signing. Freshmen start at $36 per hour, and flight attendants with 13 years of experience earn about $82 per hour.

American guarantees 71 billable hours per month for those on a pre-scheduled “linear” schedule. The “reserve” crew, or duty crew, has a minimum of 75 hours.

This means a minimum of $30,500 for first-year crew and $70,000 for veterans with thirteen years of service before taxes and other income.

Under the new contract, pay will increase in October 2025 and then each year until 2029. At that time, the hourly rate will increase to a starting base wage of approximately $40 per hour.

American added landing pay to its latest contract at 50% of a flight attendant’s hourly rate, which is expected to take effect in March. This will further increase the annual salary of flight attendants. Historically, the crew was not paid for landing time.

American has historically not paid high profit-sharing bonuses. In 2023 it was only 1.1%. The new contract increased that profit-sharing formula to match Delta’s, but the final amount would depend on American’s year-end profits. The airline was the least profitable of the Big Three in 2023.

Delta Air Lines

• First year: $35.50.
• 13th year: $79.80.

Delta flight attendants are not members of a trade union. The most recent pay increase occurred in June, increasing flight attendant salaries by about 5%.

Delta’s first-year flight attendants earn a base salary of $35.50 per hour, while crew members with 13 years of experience earn about $80 per hour.

As an American Delta flight attendants receive landing pay equal to half their hourly rate. In 2022, Delta became the first major U.S. airline to offer additional pay.

Flight attendant salaries at Delta vary depending on the number of hours worked per month, and there is no contractual minimum.

Some Delta flight attendants who are trying to unionize say the lack of guaranteed hours could result in lower pay than competitors.

A Delta spokesman said flight attendants typically earn 80 hours a month. That means first- and 13-year flight attendants earn about $34,000 and $76,600 per year, before taxes and other income.

He added that flight attendants can earn up to $1,200 extra per year for meeting monthly operational targets.

Delta also consistently distributes the highest share of annual profits. The company paid out $1.4 billion to employees in 2023, representing a bonus of 10.4% of employees’ qualifying earnings.

United Airlines

• First year: $28.88.
• 13th course: $67.11.

United has the lowest base salary in the first year at about $29 an hour. Thirteen-year-old flight attendants earn about $67 an hour.

United guarantees 71 hours of pay per month for those on a line schedule, while reserve crew members receive a minimum of 78 hours. United does not currently offer travel fares.

That means United freshmen earn at least $24,600 a year, and flight attendants with 13 years of experience earn at least $57,000 a year before taxes and other income.

Unsuccessful negotiations between United and its unionThe Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has not allowed any increase in wages, so salaries in the airline are comparatively lower. Mediation for a new contract has been put on hold until at least early this year, so United flight attendants are still being paid at 2021 rates.

A United spokesperson told BI that half of the airline’s flight attendants are at the top of the pay scale, with the average annual salary for that group reaching nearly $80,000.

This is likely due to the number of hours worked over the guarantee, as United said crews have flexible hours and can work when they want or have other ways to earn extra pay.

United said it had offered, among other things, a 22.5% increase and a new meal fee as part of contract negotiations.

The union told BI it wants industry-leading pay and improved rules and work schedules.

Despite lower base pay, United flight attendants earned high profit-sharing bonuses. In 2023, this was about 9.2% of their qualifying annual salary.

Other ways to earn money for flight attendants

Additional pay opportunities can add tens of thousands of dollars to flight attendant base pay, with the most senior crew members reaching six figures.

This includes working overtime, flying on holidays or at night, and if they are in a skilled position. Airlines also offer flight attendants free flights for personal use as part of their employment benefits.

Skilled positions may include working as a responsible “leader” or purser, working in a galley, or speaking a second language. Premium pay ranges from $1 to $7.50 per hour, depending on the aircraft and whether the flight is domestic or international.

Flight attendants also receive a per diem, typically $2 to $4 for each hour of duty away from home, to cover work-related expenses such as meals, laundry and transportation.

Senior flight attendants can earn $100,000 or more per year, depending on the number of hours they work. Bonus payments and payments for special skills contribute to this. They can fly more hours by bidding above the monthly minimum or by taking tickets left behind by other crew members.