How to become a flight attendant

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

Steps to get there

Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

What flight attendants do

• Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.
• Monitor passenger behavior to identify threats to the safety of the crew and other passengers.
• Direct and assist passengers in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing.
• Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.
• Prepare reports showing places of departure and destination, passenger ticket numbers, meal and beverage inventories, the conditions of cabin equipment, and any problems encountered by passengers.
• Announce flight delays and descent preparations.

Skills that matter most

• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Monitoring
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Writing
• Learning Strategies

Is flight attendant a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 25% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• New York $126,650
• Utah $82,730
• California $82,170
• Connecticut $78,180
• Ohio $62,440

Flight Attendants salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.