Being a flight attendant comes with many great perks that attract people to the profession. The travel benefits, flexible schedule, career advancement opportunities, and ability to meet new people make it an exciting career path for many. In this article, we’ll explore some of the top perks of being a flight attendant that make it such a desirable job.
Travel Perks
One of the biggest draws of being a flight attendant is the travel perks. Flight attendants can fly for free or very cheaply when they aren’t working, allowing them to jet set around the world on their time off. Most flight attendants get free or discounted flights with their airline and partner airlines. This makes leisure travel very affordable and enables flight attendants to explore new destinations. Depending on seniority, flight attendants may also get hotel and car rental discounts when traveling for pleasure. The flight benefits often extend to family members as well. Overall, the heavily subsidized travel is a huge perk for those who love seeing new places.
Ability to Live Anywhere
Related to the travel perks is the ability for flight attendants to live just about anywhere they want. Since flight attendants can commute for free to their airline’s hub, they aren’t limited in terms of where they can reside. Many flight attendants choose to live in places with nice weather year-round or low cost of living while commuting to work. Some even live abroad part of the year. The flexibility to live anywhere opens up many possibilities that allow flight attendants to optimize their quality of life.
Travel During Time Off
The blocks of 3-4 days off in a row that flight attendants get also make travel easy to manage. Flight attendants can often take short getaways on their days off each week while saving up vacation time for longer trips. Having weekdays off when hotels and flights tend to be cheaper coupled with the heavily discounted travel makes leisure travel very accessible. Flight attendants can take spontaneous trips more easily as well since they have chunks of multiple days off in a row frequently.
Exciting, Social Work Environment
For those who love being around people and building connections, the highly social environment of working as a flight attendant is a major plus. Flight attendants get to interact with all kinds of interesting travelers each day. For extroverted people who thrive on social interaction, the job provides consistent opportunities to engage others. Flight attendants also work closely with fellow crew members, often flying with the same team regularly. This allows them to make close friends and have a community at work. The camaraderie between crew members helps many flight attendants love their jobs.
Meet New People
In addition to passengers, flight attendants also have opportunities to mingle with airline personnel and crew from other airlines. When stopping in different cities across the globe, flight attendants can connect with locals as well. Some flight attendants enjoy planning meetups with fellow airline crew members in various cities. The constant exposure to new people and cultures keeps the job exciting for flight attendants who appreciate diversity.
Glamour and Excitement of Travel
There is a sense of glamour and excitement to traveling the world for work. Flight attendants get to dress up in sleek uniforms and experience the thrill of flying. While the job comes with challenges, for many the fun parts outweigh the difficult ones. Layovers in exotic destinations also give an exciting taste of far-flung places. For those drawn to adventure and new experiences, working as cabin crew can definitely satisfy their sense of wanderlust.
Schedule Flexibility
The work schedules for flight attendants offer more flexibility than many other jobs. While flight attendants may work weekends and holidays, they generally have more days off each month. The average schedule includes 14-15 working days per month for domestic flight attendants. International flight attendants work even fewer total days. Flight attendants bid on schedules based on seniority, so more senior flight attendants get their top choices for days on and off. Overall, the significant time off allows flight attendants to maintain a good work-life balance.
Ability to Trade or Give Away Trips
Most airlines also allow flight attendants to trade trips with coworkers or give away flights they can’t take. This enables flight attendants to tailor their schedule each month to fit their personal needs. Being able to juggle schedules is helpful for things like taking care of children, pursuing education, or handling health issues. The flexibility empowers flight attendants to take charge of their work-life balance.
Long Stretches Off
Having long stretches of multiple days off in a row is another excellent benefit for flight attendants’ work-life balance. The extended time off essentially allows flight attendants to have part-time jobs or run side businesses in addition to flying. They can pursue other goals and activities in their time off each week. The ability to schedule substantial blocks of days off enables flight attendants to make the most of their downtime.
Career Growth Opportunities
Working as a flight attendant can lead to many excellent career development opportunities. It’s a great job for those interested in long-term careers in aviation. Hard-working flight attendants can move up into management roles, training positions, and other leadership capacities. Flight attendants build a strong foundation of customer service, communication, and operational skills that are transferable. Pilot and airport management careers often specifically look to hire candidates with flight attendant experience.
Become a Flight Leader or Purser
Advancing to flight leader or purser roles allows flight attendants to step up into low-level management positions. They oversee the cabin crew while gaining leadership experience. This can lead to greater career growth down the road. Many airlines require set minimums for years of flight attendant experience before applying for these roles.
Move into Training and Recruitment Positions
Other flight attendants transition into training and recruitment positions to share their knowledge. Experienced flight attendants teach safety protocols, service skills, and operational policies to new hires. Recruiters assist with hiring and orientation for incoming flight attendants. These roles allow veteran flight attendants to help shape the future generation.
Pilot and Management Careers
Some flight attendants leverage their aviation industry experience to move into piloting or airport management careers. Flight attendants develop a strong background in customer service, safety procedures, flight coordination, and aviation operations. This base of knowledge can help flight attendants pivot into related roles with further training and education.
Ability to Earn Side Income
The flexible scheduling also enables flight attendants to earn side income in addition to their flying salary. Since flight attendants have many days off each month, they can pursue part-time jobs, side gigs, or run small businesses. Common second jobs for flight attendants include fitness instructors, bloggers, Uber/Lyft drivers, bartenders, and many others. The ability to create multiple income streams while based anywhere provides financial security.
Plenty of Free Time for Other Work
Depending on seniority and route schedules, flight attendants may work as few as 8-15 days per month. That leaves 15 or more days each month for flight attendants to dedicate to other money making opportunities. While flying provides a reliable income source, the second jobs allow financial growth.
Location Flexibility Enables Diverse Side Jobs
Since flight attendants can live anywhere, they can optimize side gigs based on their location. A flight attendant living in Los Angeles could pick up entertainment gigs while one in Colorado might teach skiing. The combination of a flexible schedule and location allows flight attendants to strategically earn extra money doing work they enjoy.
Great Healthcare, Retirement and Other Benefits
Besides flexible schedules and travel perks, flight attendants also enjoy excellent employee benefits at most airlines. Healthcare, retirement contributions, and other advantages provide long-term security. While specific benefits vary by airline, flight attendants typically have access to robust health insurance and retirement savings plans. Benefits often extend to partners and dependents as well. The attractive benefits package adds to the appeal of the job.
Healthcare Coverage
Most airlines provide quality medical insurance options to flight attendants and their families. They may contribute towards premiums to reduce costs for employees. Healthcare benefits provide essential protections for flight attendants and their loved ones.
| Airline | Healthcare Benefits |
|---|---|
| Delta | Three medical plan options through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Covers prescriptions, mental health services, and more. Premiums partially paid by Delta. |
| American | Range of HMO, PPO, and HDHP choices. Includes dental, vision, life insurance. Premiums paid in part by American. |
| United | Multiple medical plans to choose from, including an HDHP with health savings account. United contributes towards premiums. |
Retirement Savings Assistance
Most airlines also help flight attendants prepare for retirement by offering matching contributions. This may be in the form of 401(k) matching, pensions, or profit sharing. The retirement benefits help flight attendants financially plan for their future.
Additional Benefits
Flight attendants can often qualify for additional advantages like tuition reimbursement, shortened commutes, buddy passes for friends and family, discounts on cell phone plans, car rental insurance, and more. The overall benefits package provides income protection and enhances quality of life.
Conclusion
From extensive travel privileges to solid career growth potential, its easy to see why working as a flight attendant offers immense advantages. The ability to see the world with heavily discounted travel, meet new people every day, and have a flexible schedule combine to create an exciting career path. Competitive benefits and side income potential provide financial security as well. For those drawn to aviation and hospitality, the many perks of the job make it an appealing long-term career choice.