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Career

Flight Attendants

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $63,580 Median per year Most earn $35,110–$136,430

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Greet passengers boarding aircraft and direct them to assigned seats.
  • Heat and serve prepared foods.
  • Inspect passenger tickets to verify information and to obtain destination information.
  • Announce flight delays and descent preparations.
  • 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.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 18,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Scheduled air transportation96.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

Flight attendant is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and then complete airline-provided training, so you can often be flying within a few months of being hired.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school is the typical education requirement, and strong communication and customer service skills help you stand out in airline applications.

  2. Flight Attendant Trainee

    A few weeks to a few months

    Airlines hire new flight attendants and train them on safety procedures, emergency equipment, and service before they fly passengers.

  3. Flight Attendant

    Career role; you can start here right after training

    You work on flights to keep passengers safe, explain safety information, serve food and drinks, and respond to in-flight emergencies.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Flight Attendant

    2-5 years of experience first

    A senior flight attendant who leads the cabin crew, coordinates service and safety on the flight, and often mentors newer crew members.

  2. First-Line Supervisor of Passenger Attendants

    1-2 years in a related role of experience first

    A supervisor oversees groups of attendants, handles scheduling and performance, and manages day-to-day operations rather than working mainly in the cabin.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take a foreign languageSpeaking a second language can help you communicate with passengers and may make your application stand out.
  • Get a customer service jobWorking at a restaurant, store, or event venue teaches you to stay friendly and organized when people are busy or upset.
  • Take health or first aid classesBasic first aid and CPR training prepare you for medical situations, which flight attendants sometimes handle.
  • Join a leadership or public speaking clubSpeaking clearly in front of groups builds the confidence you need to give safety briefings.
  • Volunteer with a community groupHelping others in a structured setting shows employers you can be reliable and caring.

In college

  • Take communication and psychology coursesThese classes help you understand how people react under stress and how to talk to them clearly.
  • Work a customer-facing campus jobJobs like campus dining, front desk work, or events staffing build the service habits airlines look for.
  • Get first aid and CPR certifiedCertification is a practical credential that shows you can respond to medical emergencies.
  • Join a travel, hospitality, or student leadership groupThese groups build teamwork and give you a way to learn about airline and travel careers from people already in them.
  • Practice safety and emergency responseLook for campus or local training in emergency response, since staying calm and following procedures is central to this job.

Tips for getting started

  • Look up airline job postings now so you know the typical requirements, such as age minimums, height or reach rules, language skills, and any required documents.
  • Build experience in customer-facing jobs like food service, retail, or hospitality, since those show you can stay calm and helpful under pressure.
  • Get first aid and CPR certification, which many people in the field find useful and which you can often earn through local community or school programs.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Air Transportation Certificate: typical pay 1 year after finishing $32,236 a year · typical debt $8,750

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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