Updated October 9, 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook lists a median annual wage of $67,130 for flight attendants in May 2024. That is the latest handbook figure as of this update. The lowest 10% earned less than $34,030 and the highest 10% earned more than $138,040. The median for all occupations in that handbook was $49,500.
An older version of this page said the average was $56,000, or $26.92 an hour. That figure is out of date. So are the city rankings and the airline per-diem rates further down any cached copy. Per diem is set in each airline’s contract and changes when the contract changes.
Pay depends on the airline, whether you are on reserve, and how many hours you actually fly. New hires are often on reserve and earn less than the median. The job also includes hotel nights, irregular sleep, and unpaid time between flights at some carriers. Flight benefits are real and are not included in the BLS wage.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Flight Attendants.