American Airlines Flight Attendants Win 33% Pay Raise

DALLAS — American Airlines (AA) Flight Attendants (FA) won a 33% pay raise this week thanks to a new five-year tentative agreement green lit by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) on Thursday.

The agreement benefits seasoned crew members, with only the most senior flight attendants receiving an immediate 20.5% salary increase. FAs with up to six years of service will receive an 18% wage increase, while crew members with seven to twelve years of service will receive an immediate 19% hike.

If the tentative agreement is ratified, the above salary increases will be followed by a 2.75% raise after year one, a 3% pay raise after years two and three, and a final 3.5% pay raise in the fifth and final year of the agreement.

New FA hirees' hourly salaries will increase from US$30.35 to US$35.82. Senior flight attendants with at least 13 years of experience will see their hourly compensation rise from US$68.25 to US$82.24, peaking at more than US$92 per hour at the end of the five-year contract.

Flight Attendants will also get boarding compensation for the first time in the form of a top-up payment of up to US$100, based on their seniority. The deal includes retroactive pay to cover the period since 2020, when the flight attendant contract became amendable.

FA Compensation in the U.S.

According to recent data, the average salary for Flight Attendants in the United States in 2024 is US$86,370 per year. However, there is a wide range of salaries within this profession:

• The typical FA salary range falls between US$73,474 and US$102,652 per year.
• Entry-level FA positions have a lower average salary of US$47,079 per year or US$22.63 per hour.
• The 25th percentile salary is US$35,500, while the 75th percentile is US$50,000 for entry-level positions.

The APFA stated on Friday that AA FAs will receive an additional US$4.2 billion in compensation and benefits from the long-sought-after agreement.