Flight Attendants
Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.
Also called: Flight Attendant · In-Flight Crew Member · Inflight Services Flight Attendant · International Flight Attendant · Purser
Median pay (national)
$67,130
$34,030–$138,040 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
130,110
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+9.2%
~19,800 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for flight attendants shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $138,040 versus $34,030 at the bottom 10% — 4.1x. The median of $67,130 leaves roughly 106% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +9.2% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 19,800 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 21 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $128,050, +91% vs the national median), while Arizona sits lowest at $38,130 — a 236% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Active Listening, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.
- Monitor passenger behavior to identify threats to the safety of the crew and other passengers.
- Direct and assist passengers in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing.
- Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.
- Prepare reports showing places of departure and destination, passenger ticket numbers, meal and beverage inventories, the conditions of cabin equipment, and any problems encountered by passengers.
- Announce flight delays and descent preparations.
- Greet passengers boarding aircraft and direct them to assigned seats.
- Operate audio and video systems.
- Answer passengers' questions about flights, aircraft, weather, travel routes and services, arrival times, or schedules.
- Collect money for meals and beverages.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Windows
- AD OPT Altitude
- Arkitektia Flight Itinerary
- Bid Assistant
- IBM Lotus LearningSpace
- SBS International Maestro Suite
- ValtamTech Flight Crew Log
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Transportation
- Psychology
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
- Personnel and Human Resources