Flight attendants’ glamorous image masks financial struggles

Flight attendants often appear as the epitome of a glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle, but the reality for many is far from the Hollywood fantasy.

Kay had already put in a full day's work when Frontier Airlines called, asking her to cover a shift, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

As a newly hired flight attendant, she had been awake since 4 a.m., driving for Lyft—one of the few side hustles that fit her unpredictable schedule. Her new job was off to a challenging start. She had endured three and a half weeks of unpaid training, and her initial paychecks were lower than she had expected. She gave up her apartment in Atlanta, where the median rent is around $1,500, and was renting a room from a friend to save money.

To make ends meet, Kay juggled as many gig jobs as she could find: shopping for Instacart, pet sitting, and driving for Lyft. Lyft was offering a $500 bonus for completing 120 rides in four days. With a projected annual salary of $23,000 before taxes and insurance, earning extra income felt essential. So, after working a shift for Frontier from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Kay went back to driving for Lyft. By the time she finally earned the bonus, she had gone nearly 24 hours without sleep.

New flight attendants like Kay quickly learn that despite being labeled "essential" to the transportation infrastructure, making ends meet in their line of work is a challenge. A complicated pay structure that prioritizes time spent in the air, coupled with entry-level wages comparable to those in the service industry, makes it difficult for many to turn this job into a sustainable career. "I have to supplement my income. But then I'm also not sleeping," said Kay, who requested to be identified by her nickname out of fear of retaliation from her employer. "We're expected to save people on the plane... and we're not getting paid a living wage." 

Kay’s situation is far from unique. Most new flight attendants are placed "on reserve," spending days waiting to be assigned flights, often leading them to take on side jobs as bartenders, truck drivers, makeup artists, or church musicians. Some are struggling to feed their families and are even living out of their cars. Interviews with 18 current and former flight attendants reveal a bleak picture: dire financial straits, assaults by unruly passengers, and mental health crises. They shared similar stories: smaller-than-expected paychecks, rapidly falling behind on bills, and spiraling into debt. For decades, Hollywood and the media have glamorized flight attendants, portraying a fast-paced, globe-trotting lifestyle. In reality, their experiences reflect the income inequality seen in other global industries dependent on blue-collar workers. Last year, homelessness in America reached a record high and seems to be getting worse. 

The industry might be approaching a turning point. This summer, flight attendant unions made headway in long-standing negotiations with airlines over better wages, retirement benefits, and other issues. Although tentative labor agreements have been discussed at the bargaining table, they have yet to be ratified by union members. The threat of strikes looms, even if any actual stoppage must be approved by federal mediators. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), America’s largest flight attendants union, recently highlighted the financial struggles faced by many of its members working with Alaska Airlines, noting that some have "experienced homelessness, lived in their car, lived in a shelter, or endured some combination of these circumstances." An employment verification letter from American Airlines, showing a projected starting pay of $27,315 per year, recently went viral, with many dubbing it a "poverty verification" letter fit for applying to government assistance programs like food stamps. American Airlines confirmed that the letter accurately reflects the current base rate for first-year flight attendants on reserve, without additional premiums or incentives. 

"As a passenger, you don’t really see those things," said Rebecca Owens, a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines. "You see the smiling, happy flight attendants doing anything to survive while still bringing their best selves to work. It’s a lot to really comprehend."   Real pay starts just before takeoff   While Alaska and American Airlines have recently drawn attention for their flight attendant pay issues, the problems are widespread across the industry. “It’s the same story with nearly every airline right now,” said Julie Hedrick, who has been a flight attendant for 42 years and is the national president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents American Airlines employees. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual pay for flight attendants was $68,370 in 2023.

However, the projected earnings for first-year flight attendants fall significantly below this median, with figures provided by the AFA showing roughly $23,000 at Frontier, $25,000 at Alaska, $27,000 at American, and $32,000 at Delta Air Lines. Delta reports a higher figure of approximately $34,500 when including boarding pay and profit-sharing. “Delta’s philosophy is to care for our people through industry-leading pay and programs that offer emergency savings support, financial literacy, and holistic wellness,” stated Delta spokesman Anthony Black in an email. Alaska Airlines confirmed the base pay for flight attendants but noted that earnings can vary. “As with all employees on a non-salaried basis, a flight attendant's annual income depends largely on the number of hours worked,” the airline said. “It’s important to note that our flight attendants have significant control over their workload, as there is no contractual minimum (or maximum) work requirement.” 

New flight attendants starting "on reserve" are typically guaranteed around 75 flight hours per month. Even if they don’t fly enough to meet this threshold, they receive pay for the minimum hours. Hourly raises are generally provided twice a year until workers reach a “top rate,” usually around 12 years of service. “Being a flight attendant is great once you reach 12 years and beyond,” said Beth, a Delta flight attendant who asked to be identified only by her middle name for fear of employer retaliation. “But when you first start out, you’re just barely surviving.” On paper, airlines promise enticing hourly rates. Kay, for instance, anticipated earning $25.50 an hour—more than three times the federal minimum wage of $7.25. However, the reality of flight attendant pay is more complex. 

Time spent outside actual flying hours—such as at the airport for boarding, deplaning, and layovers—is often unpaid or compensated at a reduced rate. Delta stands out by paying flight attendants half their flying rate for boarding, though it is the only major US airline without a union representing its flight attendants. At other carriers, it’s not unusual for flight attendants to work 12 to 14 hours for just six hours of flight time, according to Rich Henderson, a flight attendant with over a decade of experience who co-runs the Two Guys on a Plane meme account with his husband. “We have a lot of time at work that isn’t compensated,” Henderson noted. This system is legally permissible as flight attendants and other aviation workers are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act due to the essential nature of their work. Hedrick explains that this practice originated from when flight attendants joined unions, adopting pay structures similar to those of pilots. 

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), emphasized that eliminating unpaid boarding time is a major goal in ongoing contract negotiations. The delay in securing new contracts has caused wages to fall significantly behind national and global standards, with American Airlines' current contract dating back to 2014. Airlines for America, a trade group for major carriers, declined an interview but provided a statement highlighting the industry’s significant workforce and competitive pay. “US passenger and cargo airlines employ over 800,000 workers—the largest workforce in over 20 years—earning the highest wages and benefits in our industry's history,” the statement said, though it did not specify pay differences among various airline positions. 

Despite these challenges, many flight attendants are reluctant to leave the profession. Factors such as the sunk-cost fallacy—having invested in unpaid training and accumulated seniority—keep them attached to the job. Kay, the Frontier flight attendant, for instance, was drawn to the role by a love for travel and the allure of flexible hours. Although she has been rejected twice by Delta, which offers the highest pay in the industry, she remains hopeful. “You have to go through the rough patch,” she says, clinging to the belief that perseverance will eventually lead to better opportunities.