In the air travel industry, flight attendants are an asset to air travel brands, pilots, and most importantly, the passengers. They are responsible for the safe travel of passengers, passenger education, and passenger hospitality.
They keep flights in an orderly manner by coordinating a structured method for assisting passengers on and off of flights. They must take the time to indicate all of the safety features of the aircraft, and educate on the steps to take in case of an emergency.
They also are excellent customer service providers, and answer any questions, and provide hospitality services such as pillows, snacks, and beverages to passengers of the flight. They are the face of the air travel industry, and are typically the only face that passengers associate with their flight.
Flight Attendant Salary
So how much do Flight Attendants make? Flight attendants salaries have experienced an impressive increase within the past ten years. The average salary of flight attendants in the United States is $56,000. The flight attendant starting salary is typically between $25,000-$30,000. The lowest earners earns an average of $28,950. The highest earners earn an average of $80,870.
They are typically union members, which can offer pay scale stability. Additional assets that the air travel industry gives to them include medical and other health benefits, in addition to premium pay opportunities on holidays and even nights and weekends. The gap between the lowest salaries and highest salaries are based upon several different factors.
The differences in salary can be attributed to factors such as location, experience, education, and employer. Taking each of these into consideration when seeking for a position can help an aspiring flight attendant reach their full earning potential.
Top 5 Paying States
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Florida | 0.97 | – | $55,870 |
 | Georgia | 2.22 | – | $52,200 |
 | Texas | 0.68 | – | $50,260 |
 | Wisconsin | – | – | $47,190 |
 | South Carolina | – | – | $47,010 |
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies | – | – | $81,120 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | – | $63,330 | |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 0.02 | – | $55,540 |
| Nonscheduled Air Transportation | – | – | $49,490 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 23.31 | – | $46,110 |
What Does a Flight Attendant Do?
The main priorities of flight attendants include improving the comfort and safety of all passengers on a flight.
Before the Flight has Started
They begin a flight by first directing passengers to their seats, and giving any assistance if needed. Explaining the flight details to the passengers, in addition to giving safety education to passengers. When educating, they demonstrate how to accurately use the safety equipment, and indicate where the safety equipment may be. They observe that proper safety measures are followed, such as seatbelt safety, and ensuring technological restrictions are being met.
After the Flight has Started
When the flight has started, they may communicate with the passengers, in addition to when the plane will be landing. They are also responsible for maintenance of refreshments that are on the plane prior to the flight, in addition to general maintenance of the seating area in the plane. They serve refreshments, snacks, alcoholic beverages, and meals to the passengers while the plane is in flight.
Emergency Situations
They can observe and attend to minors on the plane, as well as those with special needs. In an emergent situation, they may need to direct passengers of what to do, and may even need to provide first aid to passengers.
They must be experts of hospitality, and their primary concern should be the happiness, comfort, and above all, safety of all passengers. It is required that all flight attendants are knowledgeable of what to do in an emergent situation, and would be able to get passengers to safety in the event of an emergency.
All flights are at risk for many elements, such as inclement weather, fires, and mechanical issues, and it is the duty of the flight attendant to be knowledgeable and demonstrate the ability to keep passengers safe, and give them the education to use the necessary tools in an emergent situation.
Due to this being a customer-service oriented position, passengers will speak with them about concerns, and may even become enraged while speaking with them. This could be due to the environment of being on a plane, which can increase anxiety and stress. Flight attendant careers are high-stress.
Work Environment
Flight attendants are expected to work long shifts due to the amount of flights being flown on any given day, and may range between twelve and fourteen hours. They can expect to spend a few nights away from home as a result of the scheduling patterns. Flexibility is a necessity for them, especially for new ones. Approximately 25% work part time, and most are expected to fly for up to ninety hours per month.
Prospective flight attendants should anticipate limited position options due to a decrease in job growth in this field. The majority of new positions will be filling the positions of those that have retired or have been terminated, with few new opportunities. The air travel industry is looking for customer-service oriented personalities to represent their travel services.
Flight Attendant Salary by State
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | California | 0.736 | – | $45,530 |
 | Colorado | 1.267 | – | $43,490 |
 | Connecticut | 0.031 | – | – |
| Florida | 0.965 | – | $55,870 |
| Georgia | 2.223 | – | $52,200 |
 | Illinois | 1.691 | – | $41,590 |
 | Indiana | 0.483 | – | $46,730 |
 | Kentucky | 0.219 | – | $37,830 |
 | Massachusetts | 0.492 | – | $43,240 |
 | Michigan | – | $41,110 | |
 | Minnesota | 1.187 | – | $45,820 |
 | New York | 1.178 | – | $43,690 |
 | North Carolina | 0.871 | – | $39,750 |
 | Ohio | 0.193 | $40,080 | |
| South Carolina | – | $47,010 | |
| Texas | 0.68 | – | $50,260 |
 | Utah | – | – | $34,880 |
 | Virginia | 0.998 | – | $37,980 |
 | Wisconsin | – | – | $47,190 |
Top Paying Metropolitan Areas
With a little data available for flight attendants Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division is the top paying metropoitan area for this profession with an annual salary of $73,140
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau / Suffolk – NY Metropolitan Division | – | $76,280 | |
| Miami / Miami Beach / Kendall – FL Metropolitan Division | 3.46 | – | $55,090 |
| Atlanta / Sandy Springs / Marietta – GA | 3.69 | – | $52,360 |
| Orlando / Kissimmee / Sanford – FL | – | $49,160 | |
| Houston / Sugar Land / Baytown – TX | 2.05 | – | $49,160 |
