Being a flight attendant seems like a rewarding career. You get to travel around the country, and possibly the world, see new places, and meet different kinds of people. Sure, you also have to deal with the occasional drunk passenger, crying babies, and the risk of spilling hot coffee on someone. But in general, it seems like a fun gig.
How much do U.S. flight attendants get paid?
The big question is: How much do flight attendants get paid? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. flight attendants earned a median wage of $63,580 as of May 2025. The bottom 10% made less than $35,110, and the top 10% earned more than $136,430.
Veronica Baltoff, a travel influencer and marketer who worked for 10 years at Emirates, recently revealed what she made as a cabin crew member. What’s interesting is that flight attendants get paid quite differently than most workers in the U.S. At many airlines, flight attendants receive a basic salary for the month and then earn hourly pay on top.
How much do Emirates cabin crew get paid?
When Baltoff began flying in economy class in 2010, her basic salary was $1,063 a month, and she earned $12 per flying hour. With 90 to 100 flying hours a month, that added up to $1,080-$1,200, for a total of $2,143-$2,263 a month or $25,716-$27,156 a year. After a promotion to supervisor, her monthly pay rose to $1,600 with $27 per flying hour. This brought her income to $4,030-$4,300 a month, or $48,360-$51,600 a year.
The airline also paid a per diem during layovers. For a stay in London, she received £50 to cover food costs; in more expensive cities she received more, for example in Milan she got €90 and in Luanda the layover allowance was $500.
“You have a layover in London. You have a layover in Paris. You have a layover in Rio, Sydney, wherever you’re going, you’re going to get money given to you as soon as you arrive there. And the amount of money that you’re going to get is going to cover whatever meals you’re going to need for the amount of time you’re there,” Baltoff said. “That also depends on when you’re arriving, so if you’re arriving early in the morning it’s going to cover your breakfast, it’s going to cover your lunch, and it’s going to cover your dinner.”
What are the other perks of the job?
Cabin crew at Emirates also receive other perks, including as a live-out allowance that provides free accommodation. If they want their own apartment or house, the airline also subsidizes it. They receive a “face card” that offers discounts on restaurants, resorts, and cosmetic treatments, such as manicures, so they can look their best.
From Baltoff’s description, being a cabin crew member at Emirates isn’t just about the dollar amount on the paycheck. It’s also about the experiences and substantial perks that come with the job.
“But in general, for me personally, what was important and what I take away from my 10 years in Emirates is the amount of traveling I did, the amount of amazing people I met, all the things I was able to do, and I feel like that’s the most important thing,” she concluded in her video.
