Flight Attendants: Job Description
Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.
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The Daily Work of Flight Attendants Perform?
Typical responsibilities of flight attendants include:
- Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.
- Announce and demonstrate safety and emergency procedures, such as the use of oxygen masks, seat belts, and life jackets.
- Monitor passenger behavior to identify threats to the safety of the crew and other passengers.
- Walk aisles of planes to verify that passengers have complied with federal regulations prior to takeoffs and landings.
- Direct and assist passengers in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing.
- Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.
- Administer first aid to passengers in distress.
- Determine special assistance needs of passengers, such as small children, the elderly, or persons with disabilities.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful flight attendants rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Flight Attendants Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aircraft Cabin Agent
- Airline Attendant
- Airline Flight Attendant
- Airline Hostess
- Airline Stewardess
- Airplane Flight Attendant
- Cabin Attendant
- Door and Arrival Attendant
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 195,381 flight attendants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +0.0% over the projection horizon.
Flight Attendants Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $36,135 |
| Hourly median | $17.37 |
| 10th percentile | $21,470 |
| 25th percentile | $28,803 |
| 75th percentile | $43,468 |
| 90th percentile | $50,801 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $128,050 |
| Washington | $103,950 |
| Connecticut | $86,140 |
| California | $77,870 |
| Florida | $76,410 |
| Georgia | $76,340 |
| Massachusetts | $68,650 |
| North Carolina | $64,100 |
| Virginia | $62,280 |
| Illinois | $62,120 |
| Michigan | $61,370 |
| Colorado | $61,050 |
| Idaho | $60,480 |
| Oregon | $59,520 |
| Ohio | $57,170 |
| Texas | $57,170 |
| Minnesota | $50,740 |
| Utah | $49,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,560 |
| Nevada | $39,790 |
| Arizona | $38,130 |
Where Flight Attendants Earn the Most
Compensation for flight attendants differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $105,222 | 14.8% | 1.15 |
| Southeast | $71,375 | 20.2% | 1.26 |
| Far Western US | $69,581 | 21.7% | 1.42 |
| New England | $68,650 | 3.7% | 1.17 |
| Great Lakes | $61,631 | 10.7% | 1.64 |
| Rocky Mountains | $61,028 | 8.2% | 2.99 |
| Southwest | $52,779 | 17.9% | 1.21 |
| Plains States | $50,740 | 2.8% | 1.08 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $128,050 | 16,500 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $103,950 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $94,650 | 910 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $80,000 | 3,600 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | FL | $78,440 | 440 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $77,870 | 9,850 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $76,490 | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $76,340 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of flight attendants work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 128,630 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where flight attendants work:
Software Flight Attendants Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for flight attendants reflects the following characteristics:
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Public Speaking
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Getting Started in This Career
Most flight attendants positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Security Guards (Supplemental)
- Transportation Security Screeners (Primary-Long)
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers (Primary-Long)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants (Primary-Long)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (Primary-Short)
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (Primary-Short)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Supplemental)
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for flight attendants commonly pursue programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-2031.00 (Flight Attendants).
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