Applying

So You Want to Be a Flight Attendant? Here's How to Get Started

Whether becoming a flight attendant has been a lifelong dream or a new adventure you're ready to explore, you may be wondering where to begin. Below, you'll find links to each US airline's application process. However, before you start clicking and applying, there are a few essential things to consider.

Start with a Passport

Make sure you have a valid passport. If yours is expired, about to expire, or you've never had one, apply as soon as possible—it can take time to process. While some airlines will allow you to interview if your passport is in progress, others require a valid passport at the time of application. Whatever the case, be honest on your application. If the airline requires a valid passport, wait until yours is ready before applying. Click here for info on getting or renewing your US Passport: 

What You Do and Don't Need

You don't need a college degree to become a flight attendant, though some customer service experience is helpful. You don't need medical training either—airlines will teach you CPR, first aid, and how to use an AED during training. And while speaking a foreign language can be an advantage, it's by no means required.

There's also no need to spend money on flight attendant "schools." Most of them don't provide any real advantage, and everything you need to know will be taught by your airline during training.

Age Isn't a Limitation

One of the biggest myths about flight attendant life is that it's only for the young. Not true! While you do need to meet the minimum age requirement—usually 20 or 21, depending on the airline—there's no upper age limit. If you're under the required age, just be patient. That birthday will come sooner than you think.

Changing Industry Standards

Years ago, flight attendant requirements were much stricter—limited to young, single women, often with appearance-based restrictions. Thankfully, that's no longer the case with US carriers. As long as you can buckle into a jumpseat and reach the overhead bins (some smaller aircraft may have height restrictions), you're eligible to apply.

Tattoos? Many airlines have relaxed their policies and now allow visible tattoos, although some still require them to be covered while on duty. Be sure to check the specific guidelines for each airline.

The Time to Apply Is Now

There is currently a high demand for flight attendants, making this an ideal time to start your career. Below is a list of US airlines in alphabetical order, along with direct links to their application pages. I'll soon be adding international and non-Canadian carriers as well.

Air Canada

Air Transat

Alaska Air

Allegiant Airlines

American Airlines

Avelo Air

Breeze Airlines

Commutair

Contour Airlines

Delta Air Lines

Endeavor

Envoy

Frontier Airlines

GoJet

Hawaiian

JetBlue Airlines

Mesa

Piedmont

PSA Airlines

Republic Airways

Skywest

Southwest Airlines

Spirit Airlines

Sun Country

United Airlines

West Jet

(Just because it doesn't have next to it doesn't mean they're not hiring. Check anyway. I may not have updated in a while.)

👉Here is a great article! Best Airlines For Flight Attendants (7 Criteria Analyzed)👈

A few things you should be aware of about flight crew life: it's actually more of a new lifestyle than just a job.  With most jobs, people go to work, clock in, work their day, clock out, and go home. They'll get paid for all of that time they were at work. They usually work 8-9 hours and sleep in their own bed every night. When you're the flight crew, it's quite different.  Unless you just do day trips, you'll be spending days away from your home. You'll be carrying luggage and staying in hotels between workdays. You may be a commuter that has to catch a flight to your base to begin your trips and possibly stay in a crash pad in base during your reserve block. You get paid for your trip credit, and the time clock begins when the airplane brake is released and the boarding door is closed.  It ends when that brake is dropped again and the boarding door is reopened.   You do not get paid for boarding.  That is something we'd all like to see changed, but as of now, that's how it is.  You don't get paid during deplaning either. You will, however, earn per diem, that is usually $2 or so, for every hour of your trip.  And if you're on reserve, you will be paid a guarantee.  Guarantee is an amount of hours you will be paid for whether you were assigned work or not (as long as you were available for assignment).  Usually guarantee is somewhere between 72-80 hours per month. You can work beyond that and get paid additional for those hours.  All of that depends on the airline you work for.   

Additionally, as you will soon discover, seniority is king.  The more seniority you have, the better your life will be. You'll start getting the schedules and the vacation weeks you want.  You can have more choice over your layovers and how your trips are constructed. There is company seniority and base seniority.  Your seniority at your base is the bigger factor in determining how your schedule will be.  Obviously, you won't start out with significant seniority.  But stick around, and it'll get better.  Just know going in that, since you're new, you'll probably be working holidays, birthdays, and other days you'd like to have off.  You can always try to get them off, and you might.  But initially it won't be easy.  Hang in there, though, and life will get better.  Both your pay and seniority will improve over time.

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