Is Being a Flight Attendant Still a Good Choice?

One of the main attractions of being a flight attendant is the chance to explore the globe while earning a salary. Yet, the aviation field has its share of difficulties. Recent times have brought to light challenges such as increased instances of air rage during the COVID-19 pandemic and labor conflicts, as most U.S. flight attendants are compensated only after the airplane door closes—not during boarding—regardless of any flight delays.

Despite these challenges, is pursuing a career as a flight attendant still appealing for those who love to travel?

According to Joclyn Palucho, a flight attendant based in Los Angeles for a major U.S. airline, the response remains a definitive yes.

“Being in different cities or countries each week and experiencing new places as part of your job is simply the best,” Palucho shares. “There’s no other job quite like it.”

In Spain, Marta Canseco is employed by a European airline and echoes Palucho’s thoughts, emphasizing the cultural experiences and frequent travel that come with being a flight attendant. However, she also points out that the job isn’t always as glamorous as it appears.

Canseco notes that flight attendants on long-haul flights typically stay at their layover destination for two to three days to rest adequately. During this period, airlines pay for their hotel and provide a per diem for meals.

Although it may sound idyllic and is a great way to explore new locations, Canseco warns that “the reality is quite different. Cabin crew often feel drained after long flights, leading many to prefer staying at the hotel to focus on recovery.”

While traveling for work is common, flight attendants enjoy the added perk of flying for free on standby (though they must cover taxes and fees for international flights). They also benefit from discounted rates on flights, hotels, car rentals, gym memberships, and cruises via employee booking sites like StaffTraveler. Additionally, they can share some of these flight discounts with partners and family members.

“There was a time my sister needed to fly from Washington, D.C., to San Jose, California, for a last-minute family gathering,” shares Palucho. “She used one of my buddy passes to fly standby, which allows you to board if there are open seats. She successfully made it to San Jose on time.”

As flight attendants gain seniority, they enjoy more flexibility in their schedules. Venezia Macias, a flight attendant based in Las Vegas for a budget airline, explains that her airline allows attendants to drop shifts they don’t want once they’re off reserve (most new attendants must be on call for up to a year).

“You’ll begin on a reserve line, making it challenging to switch or drop your reserve periods for actual flights,” says Macias. When she first started, she worked reserve shifts for several months. During that time, she had to be ready to reach the airport within 90 minutes of being called. Reserve flight attendants are guaranteed a minimum number of paid hours, regardless of whether they are called in. However, dropping shifts is complicated because they cannot go below the minimum monthly hours.

“Once you’re off a reserve line, you can swap and/or drop trips and take as many days off as you want without tapping into your sick or vacation time,” Macias adds.

For instance, senior flight attendants at certain airlines can plan their schedules to enjoy four consecutive weeks off, enabling them to fully utilize their travel perks.

This year, Palucho has taken advantage of her flexible schedule and flight perks to visit dream destinations such as Aruba, London, and Japan, with more trips planned ahead.

The requirements for becoming a flight attendant

With almost ten years of experience, Canseco mentions that the path to becoming a flight attendant is less demanding than in the past. Height and weight standards have become more lenient (a job advertisement from Eastern Airlines in the 1960s specified that flight attendants must be single women between 5' 2" and 5' 9" and weigh between 105 and 135 pounds). Nowadays, airlines prioritize safety-related traits, like whether a flight attendant can access emergency equipment. Job openings are also more accessible through social media, Facebook groups, and online job boards.

However, don't expect to start traveling immediately after finishing the interview process.

"Our top priority is safety," states Palucho. "We can extinguish a fire onboard and evacuate hundreds of passengers in under 90 seconds. We're trained in CPR and first aid, ready to handle various medical emergencies. The refreshments are merely a small part of the extensive responsibilities we bear as flight attendants."

This extensive training requires time, and flight attendants in the U.S. are conditionally employed as long as they successfully complete a rigorous training program that includes written, verbal, and physical examinations. For some airlines, this training can last up to eight weeks.

"[The training] was genuinely one of the toughest experiences I've faced in my life, due to the amount of material and the tests on it," Palucho remarks, likening it to a college course compressed into 30 to 70 days. "However, if you prepare and study, you'll manage it quite well."

Not everyone is cut out for the flight attendant lifestyle, which requires flexibility and strong social skills. Canseco mentions that being away from home can be tough, as flight attendants often miss significant moments in their personal lives.

Palucho also recognizes the unpredictable nature of this profession. "At any point during your journey, you might face a lengthy delay or be rerouted due to weather or aircraft issues," she explains. "This can disrupt your plans for returning home on schedule or getting sufficient rest at your hotel."

Many jobs in aviation provide similar travel perks. In fact, there's an increasing need for aviation technicians in the coming years. Macias shares that her boyfriend works as an aviation mechanic for a prominent U.S. airline, and his travel benefits surpass hers. As a result, they frequently use his perks instead of her own.

"Thanks to his benefits, we traveled to London," Macias states. "We flew from Denver to London and received an upgrade to premium economy, but on the return trip, we were upgraded to business class."

She notes that her boyfriend's airline provides an option to purchase a guaranteed seat at a reduced rate, unlike hers. They opt for guaranteed seats when they want to avoid the uncertainty of flying standby.

Not all airlines provide the same training, salaries, and benefits. For instance, some flight attendants do not have overnight layovers; their flights are round-trips, meaning they fly to a destination and return home the same day.

For those eager to discover new places both during and outside of work, Canseco offers a simple suggestion: Apply to one of the major airlines that operate long-haul international flights.