United Airlines | Flight Attendant

United Airlines Flight Attendant

Overview

United Airlines invites dedicated professionals to embark on a dynamic career as a Flight Attendant, contributing to the world's most expansive route network. United is committed to fostering employee growth, offering top-tier health and wellness benefits, and enabling extensive global travel privileges for its team members and their families. This role offers the unique opportunity to build lasting connections with colleagues and customers while shaping the future of aviation, together.

The Role

As the largest airline globally, United operates with over 28,000 active Flight Attendants and continues to experience unprecedented growth. The Flight Attendant position is highly coveted, offering the extraordinary ability to explore the world as part of one's professional life. United provides comprehensive training for this role, requiring no special schooling or prior college degree for applicants.

Industry-Leading Training

The journey with United commences with an intensive 6.5-week Initial Training program located in Houston, TX. During this period, Flight Attendants gain expertise in United's stringent safety protocols and service excellence standards. Trainees are assigned to one of United's seven hub bases – Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington Dulles – or another designated Flight Attendant base location. Relocation funds for base assignment are not provided. Upon successful completion of training and base orientation, individuals are welcomed as full-time United employees. During the training period, United provides a weekly stipend of $140, dual occupancy hotel accommodations, and two meals per day (breakfast, plus either lunch or dinner, dependent on the training schedule).

Key Responsibilities & Attributes

Flight Attendants are integral to ensuring an unparalleled travel experience and uphold the highest standards of safety and service. Core proficiencies and attributes include:

• Safety First: Upholding the highest levels of safety for all passengers and crew members.
• A People-First Demeanor: Demonstrating a passion for service with optimism and positivity, adapting to diverse customer-facing scenarios. This includes direct engagement with customers through outstanding interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and the ability to resolve issues with understanding, compassion, and grace, thereby influencing customer loyalty and proudly representing United.
• Flexibility: Being available for global assignments 24/7, including nights, weekends, holidays, and extended hours, to support United's comprehensive route network. This involves fulfilling reserve assignments on short notice and being away from base for multiple days.
• Dependability and Timeliness: Consistently arriving on time and being reliable is critical for operational success and meeting customer expectations.
• Team Player: Exhibiting a consistent track record of effective collaboration within a team environment, as well as working independently.
• Crafting Memorable Experiences: Engaging with diverse cultures, exploring new destinations, and creating positive, memorable experiences for every customer on every flight, every day.

Compensation & Benefits

United Airlines offers a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support employees and their families:

• Competitive Hourly Pay: Starting hourly flight pay of $28.88, with top-of-base scale reaching $67.11 per hour.
• Seniority-Based Increases: Regular pay increases based on seniority.
• Additional Compensation: Enhanced pay for language skills, lead positions, and international trips.
• Training Bonus: Successful training graduates receive a $1,000 bonus.
• Profit Sharing: This is a bonus eligible position, participating in profit sharing.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life, accident & disability insurance, along with an Employee Assistance Plan for employees and their families.
• Financial Security: Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid Time Off: Paid time for sick leave and vacation, in addition to paid holidays.
• Travel Privileges: Extensive flight privileges for the employee, family, and friends on a stand-by basis, enabling global exploration.
• Inclusive Uniform Standards: United embraces diverse uniform standards, encouraging employees to be their authentic selves at work.
• Safety and Cleanliness: A commitment to prioritizing safety and cleanliness for both employees and customers.

Qualifications & Requirements

Prospective Flight Attendants must meet the following criteria:

• Aged 21 years or older at the time of application.
• High school graduate or GED required; two or more years of college preferred.
• Minimum of one year of customer service experience in a service industry (e.g., retail, hospitality, food, teaching/education, aviation, social service).
• Ability to speak, read, write, and understand English fluently, communicating clearly, concisely, and loudly enough to be heard in emergencies.
• Proficiency in a second language, such as Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Tagalog, is highly desirable and considered an asset.
• Ability to hear all types and ranges of sound.
• Effective communication skills in high-stress situations, including aircraft evacuations, security threats, delays, medical emergencies, severe weather, and turbulence.
• Professional appearance and adherence to excellent grooming standards, including uniform, hair, tattoo, and piercing guidelines.
  • Tattoos are not permitted on the head, hands, fingers, or neck (including the back of the neck and on, in, or behind the ear), and cannot be covered by makeup or bandages in these areas.
  • Visible tattoos on arms, wrists, legs, and feet are permitted if they are not larger than a credit card (3.5 inches long x 2.24 inches wide) or if they are covered by standard uniform pieces.
  • Visible tattoos must not be offensive (e.g., violent, obscene, sexual, racist, or containing objectionable content or imagery of weapons).
  • Decorative covers, adornments, or jewelry on teeth or in the mouth are prohibited.
• Ability to proficiently operate electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops) for required tasks.
• Must possess a valid passport with at least 18 months of remaining validity at the time of application, ensuring current physical possession of a U.S. or foreign passport book with applicable visas for unrestricted global travel. Applicants are responsible for identifying and verifying travel eligibility for all countries United serves, as the destinations list is subject to change. As a United Flight Attendant, one must be able to enter and exit these locations as a working crew member, not as a passenger.
• Ability to stand, walk, kneel, bend, stoop, stretch, reach, lift heavy objects (e.g., luggage to overhead bin or window exit), and push and pull beverage carts (up to 250 lbs.).
• Ability to pass a functional reach assessment with a combined 76-inch vertical and 43.5-inch horizontal reach and hold (simultaneous), without shoes, to operate all necessary equipment and doors.
• Ability to sit securely in an assigned jump seat with seatbelt and shoulder harness fastened.
• Required to serve and/or sell food and beverages (including alcohol) in a diligent and professional manner.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule to support United’s 24/7 operation, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays on scheduled or reserve days.

Pre-employment & Onboarding Requirements

Candidates must successfully complete the following:

• Successful completion of an evacuation drill in the water (pool) during training.
• Pre-employment Department of Transportation (DOT) drug screen, comprehensive background checks, fingerprinting, and vision/hearing tests.
• Ability to pass DOT/FAA pre-employment and randomized drug screens. Medical and recreational marijuana use is prohibited due to the safety-sensitive nature of the Flight Attendant position.
• Successful completion of a 10-year background check, including criminal history. Applicants' background must not prohibit travel to or from any destination United serves. For instance, Canadian regulations are strict regarding DWI/DUI charges (including misdemeanors); affected applicants must possess a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) from the Canadian government if a DWI/DUI conviction or probation occurred within the last 10 years and travel to Canada is required for work duties.
• Meeting hearing and vision requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines, with or without reasonable accommodation. This includes not having hearing loss on audiometry in the better ear greater than 40 dB (average of losses at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz), and each eye must be 20/40 or better corrected for both far and near vision.

Application Deadline: 09/15/2025