How Much Does a Cabin Attendant Make? (2025)
Understanding the cabin attendant salary is important for employers and job candidates. As of November 2025, the average annual salary for a cabin attendant in the United States is $77,100 per year, or approximately $37 per hour, according to recent data.
This salary guide explores the role of a cabin attendant, including job responsibilities, earnings, and factors influencing income, such as location, experience, and specialized knowledge.
What Does a Cabin Attendant Do?
Cabin attendants attend to airplane passengers to ensure their safety while on the aircraft, serving beverages and food and keeping the cabin clean for passengers' comfort.
Responsibilities include:
- Attend to passengers to ensure their safety while on the aircraft.
- Serve beverages and food to passengers, including various service items during flights.
- Keep the cabin clean for passengers' comfort.
- Maintain supplies on the plane.
- Provide emergency response as needed.
- Conduct flight safety briefing before takeoff.
- Handle aircraft emergency equipment properly.
- Follow safety policies and procedures at all times.
- Assist with ground operations support when required.
- Manage flight emergency procedures effectively.
According to Salary.com, this role typically requires an associate degree, reports to a manager, and involves some complex tasks with 2-4 years of related experience.
Cabin attendants often work alongside crew members, such as pilots, to ensure smooth operations from departure to arrival at the airport.
What is Cabin Attendant Overview?
As mentioned above, the cabin attendant average salary in the United States is $77,100 per year or $37 per hour, as of November 2025.
Based on our data, the cabin attendant salary is between $60,670 to $107,476 per year, with most earnings reported between $68,500 and $93,000. The cabin attendant salary per month is $6,425.
Moreover, a cabin attendant often earns an average of $37 per hour, with hourly rates ranging from $29 to $52. The average weekly cabin attendant salary is $1,483, with pay ranging from $1,167 to $2,067.
2025 Cabin Attendant Average Salary: $77,100 per year ($37 per hour)
Meanwhile, the core median cabin attendant salary is $129,648 per year. This includes salary and bonuses and varies depending on the percentile.
According to our report, the average total cabin attendant salary is $129,648, including bonuses and benefits such as healthcare ($8,352), time off ($11,348), and Social Security ($7,053), which make up 18.8% of total compensation. For many, this dream job offers not only great pay but also the chance to travel the world.
| Core Compensation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Median | % of Total | |
| Base Salary | $77,100 | 58.1% |
| Bonus | $15,100 | 14.6% |
| Value of Benefits | ||
| Median | % of Total | |
| Social Security | $7,053 | 5.6% |
| 401K/403B | $3,872 | 3.1% |
| Disability | $1,844 | 1.5% |
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 4.3% |
| Pension | $4,979 | 3.9% |
| Time Off | $11,348 | 8.9% |
| Total Compensation | $129,648 | 100% |
Flight pay is a key component, where cabin attendants earn based on each flight hour. For new flight attendants, pay starts lower, but with experience, it increases. Incentive pay, holiday pay, and diem pay add to the total earnings, especially for international flights or domestic trips.
Most airlines provide per diem to cover expenses while on duty, and union dues may be deducted according to company policy.
What Can Affect Cabin Attendant Salaries?
The salary of cabin attendants varies based on factors such as experience, geographical location, and skills. Here's a breakdown of these key factors:
By Experience Level
According to Salary.com, cabin attendants with less than one year of experience earn an average salary of $74,373 per year. In contrast, those with eight or more years of experience can expect to earn an average of $85,828 per year. More years of experience typically lead to higher salaries.
A first-year flight attendant or new hires might start on reserve status, dealing with variable schedules and short notice assignments, but as they progress to senior flight attendant roles, they gain more control over their schedules.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Cabin Attendant | $74,373 |
| Intermediate Level Cabin Attendant | $74,612 |
| Senior Level Cabin Attendant | $78,261 |
| Specialist Level Cabin Attendant | $85,324 |
| Expert Level Cabin Attendant | $85,828 |
This data shows that competitive salaries and benefits make cabin attendant jobs highly attractive. Pay structures often include hourly pay, which can fluctuate during hours depending on flight time and duty hours, as well as additional elements like per diem for meals and hotel stays during layovers.
Flight attendants start with initial training, which covers federal law requirements for safety. New flight attendants often begin with lower pay rates, but after a certain amount of time, they can qualify for higher flight pay on international trips or when flying standby.
By Geographic Location
Apart from experience, a cabin attendant's salary in the U.S. also varies by location. Base location is important, as attendants at major airline hubs like United Airlines or American Airlines may earn more, influenced by cost of living and local economy.
In the U.S., San Jose leads with the highest average cabin attendant salary at $97,200, while Miami and Dallas earn $74,100 and $76,100, respectively. Other top-paying cities include San Francisco ($96,300) and New York ($89,300).
| City | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, California | $86,400 | $97,200 | $117,300 |
| San Francisco, California | $85,200 | $96,300 | $116,200 |
| Washington, D.C. | $75,800 | $85,300 | $103,000 |
| Miami, Florida | $65,800 | $74,100 | $89,400 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $70,800 | $79,700 | $96,100 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $76,400 | $86,000 | $103,700 |
| New York, NY | $79,400 | $89,300 | $107,800 |
| Dallas, Texas | $67,600 | $76,100 | $91,900 |
By Skills
High-demand skills can boost cabin attendant salaries. According to our report, expertise in Safety Policies and Procedures raises pay by +8.00%, and Emergency Response by +8.16%, with demand at 10.60% and 10.50%. Proficiency in a foreign language can further increase pay, especially for international flights.
| Skill | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Response | 10.50% | 8.16% |
| Safety Policies and Procedures | 10.60% | 8.00% |
| Ground Operations Support | 10.70% | 7.86% |
| Emergency Landing | 10.60% | 7.86% |
| Aircraft Emergency Equipment | 10.30% | 7.86% |
| Flight Emergency Procedures | 10.30% | 7.86% |
| Flight Safety Briefing | 10.20% | 7.86% |
How to Become a Cabin Attendant?
Starting a cabin attendant career combines education, technical skills, hands-on experience, and continuous learning. Here's a step-by-step guide to get started in this growing field:
- Complete your education: Many employers prefer candidates with a high school diploma, technical certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree, but hands-on experience in safety procedures and emergency response is equally valuable. Aviation safety certifications further strengthen your expertise.
- Earn certifications: Consider certifications or training in flight emergency procedures, aircraft emergency equipment, and flight safety briefings. These show commitment to industry best practices and can help advance your career.
- Gain practical experience: Work as ground operations support, an avionics technician, or emergency landing coordinator to gain hands-on experience with passenger safety, cabin management, and emergency response. This helps you understand daily cabin attendant challenges, including time waiting on board and handling arrivals.
Develop essential skills: Begin by mastering key industry skills like Safety Policies and Procedures, Emergency Response, Ground Operations Support, Emergency Landing, Aircraft Emergency Equipment, Flight Emergency Procedures, and Flight Safety Briefing. These are essential for managing cabin environments safely and efficiently.
- Advance your career: With experience and skill development, you can advance to senior roles. Continued learning supports salary growth and keeps you current with industry trends. Today, it's easier to find rewarding jobs, and while many can transition after initial training, in most cases, staying in the role offers better pay and perks.
What are the FAQs about Cabin Attendant?
Here are some common questions about cabin attendant salary:
Is cabin attendant a good job?
Yes, being a cabin attendant is a good job, especially in aviation-focused industries where skills like safety policies, emergency response, and flight emergency procedures are highly valued. The role offers strong career growth and salary increases of around 8%, reflecting its demand and importance.
What skills do you need to be a cabin attendant?
Key skills for a cabin attendant include safety policies and procedures, emergency response, ground operations support, emergency landing, aircraft emergency equipment, flight emergency procedures, and flight safety briefing. These are essential for managing passenger safety, comfort, and efficient flight operations.
How do additional certifications impact salary?
Additional certifications related to aircraft emergency equipment, flight safety briefing, or emergency landing can significantly enhance a cabin attendant's credentials. According to the data, mastering relevant skills through certifications can contribute to a salary increase of over 8%, highlighting their value in career advancement and earning potential.
In final thoughts, becoming a cabin attendant can be a rewarding path, with opportunities to earn solid money while traveling the world. For most people, the variable schedules and perks like per diem for hotel stays and meals make it appealing.
Whether on domestic trips or international flights, crew members enjoy a mix of duty and adventure. If this isn't the right fit, consider other positions in aviation, such as pilot roles.
