Last Updated on January 16, 2023
Are you interested to know how much each of the airlines pays their flight attendants? Maybe you’re already a flight attendant and want to make sure your pay is competitive in the industry. Or, perhaps you are hoping to become a flight attendant for the first time and want to know how much you can expect to make. Search no more. We have compiled this information to cover how much each of the major airlines pays their flight attendants based on their professional level. We also include information about additional compensation, such as bonuses, commissions, and other profit-sharing.
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Top 10 Highest Paying Airlines for Flight Attendants
Below is a list of the top 10 highest-paying airlines for flight attendants along with their salary and additional pay information.
1. American Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at American Airlines is $43,460. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $86,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $30,000 per year.
American Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $2,825 per year.
2. Delta Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Delta Airlines is $40,236. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $91,000 annually while beginners can expect to average around $24,000 per year. Something you’ll notice on this list is that the larger carriers tend to pay more than the smaller regional sized airlines. Delta is no exception.
Delta Airlines does also have a very generous program in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $6,400 per year. This is among the highest of the airlines we looked at.
3. Southwest Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Southwest Airlines is $42,000. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $65,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $30,000 per year. In addition to having one of the highest average salaries, Southwest is considered to have among the happiest employees of any airline.
Southwest Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $4,800 per year. This is also one of the better programs for additional pay in the industry.
4. United Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at United Airlines is $44,219. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $100,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $28,000 per year. United pays their most senior flight attendants better than any other airlines on our list. If you have a lot of experience and love your job as a flight attendant, this is a great place to consider working.
United Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $5,200 per year. This is also one of the better programs for flight attendants to earn money in addition to their regular pay.
5. Air Canada
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Air Canada Airlines is C$39,000. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of C$65,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $24,000 per year.
Air Canada does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $2,825 per year.
Like many of the smaller airlines, Air Canada pays less than some of the bigger airlines. That being said, it has a great reputation for treating employees well.
6. Alaskan Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Alaskan Airlines is $53,000. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $113,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $27,000 per year. As you can see, sticking around at Alaskan Airlines really pays off. They pay their most senior flight attendants a very large rate.
Alaskan Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $3,400 per year.
7. JetBlue Airways
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Jetblue Airways is $42,500. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $103,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $32,000 per year.
JetBlue Airways does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $2,350 per year.
8. Spirit Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Spirit Airlines is $39,000. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $68,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $25,000 per year.
Spirit Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $1,500 per year.
9. WestJet
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at West Jet Airlines is $35,000. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $46,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $24,000 per year.
WestJet Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $2,825 per year.
10. Frontier Airlines
The average annual salary for a flight attendant at Frontier Airlines is $29,400. The most experienced flight attendants (top 10%) can expect to make an average of $45,000 annually while beginners can expect to average under $27,000 per year.
Frontier Airlines does also have programs in place to pay their flight attendants bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing. These additional forms of pay average $1,100 per year.
In Summary
As you can see, being a flight attendant can pay a great salary. You can look forward to making more money as you gain more experience in addition to all the other great benefits (like a flexible schedule and much more).