How to Become a Flight Attendant: 6 Steps (2026-2027)

To become a flight attendant, meet your airline’s basic requirements, build 1 to 2 years of customer service experience, apply, finish the airline’s initial training and earn your FAA certificate.

A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical education, and the details vary by airline.

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Below are the 6 steps, a requirements table, the FAA certificate facts, BLS pay and job facts, resume tips and a checklist. These are national facts, so read each airline’s posting for its own rules.

How to Become a Flight Attendant in 6 Steps

Quick jump: Requirements Experience Apply Training FAA certificate Seniority

Step 1. Meet the Basic Requirements

The BLS lists a minimum age that is typically 18 or 21, eligibility to work in the U.S., a valid passport, a background check, a drug test and vision correctable to at least 20/40. Some airlines also set height requirements or ask for a medical evaluation. Federal law also requires that you read, speak and understand English well enough to direct passengers and write incident reports.

Step 2. Earn Your Diploma and Build Service Experience

A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education, and some airlines prefer college courses or a degree. The BLS says airlines typically look for 1 to 2 years in a service occupation, such as customer service in restaurants, hotels or resorts. Count what you do, such as guests served each shift, so your resume shows results.

Step 3. Apply and Interview

Apply to airlines that are hiring and read each posting for its age, height, vision and base city rules. Some applicants attend a flight attendant academy first, according to the BLS. Prepare for the interview with safety, teamwork and customer service examples.

Step 4. Complete the Airline’s Initial Training

Initial training usually lasts several weeks to a few months. It covers emergency procedures, and you must pass an exam and the practice flights. Study hard, because this training leads to your FAA certificate.

Step 5. Get Your FAA Certificate

Once you finish the approved training, your airline reports it and the FAA issues your certificate of demonstrated proficiency, which is specific to the airplane group you trained on. After that, you complete additional aircraft-specific training and recurrent training every year.

Step 6. Grow With Seniority

Schedules often include nights, weekends and holidays, and your seniority shapes your schedule over time. The BLS says attendants can advance to senior attendant or management roles. Keep your training dates and records current.

What It Takes: Typical Requirements

Requirement (BLS)	Detail
Education	High school diploma or equivalent; some airlines prefer college courses or a degree
Experience	Typically 1 to 2 years in a service occupation
Minimum age	Typically 18 or 21, depending on the airline
Work eligibility	Eligible to work in the U.S. with a valid passport
Screening	Background check and drug test
Vision	Correctable to at least 20/40
Other	Some airlines set height requirements or ask for a medical evaluation
Training	Several weeks to a few months, then additional and recurrent training

The FAA Flight Attendant Certificate

Federal law says no one may serve as a flight attendant on an air carrier’s aircraft without a certificate of demonstrated proficiency from the FAA. Your airline handles the training and the paperwork.

FAA certificate fact	Detail
Name	Certificate of demonstrated proficiency
Who must hold it	Flight attendants in the cabin of an aircraft with 20 or more seats used by an air carrier
Who issues it	The FAA, after your airline reports that you finished the approved training
Airplane groups	Group 1 (propeller-driven), Group 2 (turbojet-powered), or both
Hard copy	Mailed within 10 to 14 days, according to the FAA
Ownership	It belongs to you, not your airline
Language	Read, speak and understand English; write incident reports

Flight Attendant Job Facts From the BLS

The BLS says flight attendants hold preflight briefings with pilots, check emergency equipment, demonstrate safety equipment, serve food and drinks, help passengers, provide first aid, direct evacuations in emergencies and file reports after each flight.

Fact (BLS, flight attendants)	Detail
Median pay (May 2025)	$63,580 a year
Lowest 10% earned	Under $35,110
Highest 10% earned	Over $136,430
Jobs, 2025	About 133,700
Job outlook, 2025 to 2035	9% (much faster than average, about 11,800 jobs)
Openings each year, on average	About 18,500, mostly from workers who change occupations or leave the workforce
Work schedule	Often nights, weekends and holidays; part-time work is common
Time away from home	Several nights a week or month, depending on the schedule

These are national figures. Pay varies by airline and seniority, and this page makes no promise of income.

Skills Flight Attendants Need

The BLS lists attentiveness to safety and passenger needs, communication skills, customer-service skills such as poise and tact, decision-making in emergencies and physical stamina for lifting, standing and walking for long periods. Show these on your resume with real examples.

How to Show Your Experience on a Resume

Resume section	What to add
Summary	Years of service experience, languages and one result
Experience	Guests served, complaints resolved and safety or first aid training, with numbers
Certifications	CPR or first aid, only if you hold them, with the year
Skills	Safety awareness, communication, teamwork, composure and languages you speak

Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the posting’s rules. Check age, vision, height and base city before you apply.
Listing duties only. Add numbers, such as guests served each shift.
Forgetting your passport. A valid passport is a typical requirement.
Rushing the training. You must pass an exam to earn your FAA certificate.
Missing recurrent training. Track your dates every year.
Typos on your resume. Proofread twice.

Flight Attendant Checklist

Tick each item as you finish. You are ready to apply when the counter reaches 10.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a college degree to become a flight attendant?

No. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says the typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or equivalent, though some airlines prefer applicants with college courses or a degree.

How old do I have to be?

The BLS says the minimum age is typically 18 or 21, and it varies by airline. Check the age rule in each airline’s job posting before you apply.

Do I need work experience?

The BLS says airlines typically look for 1 to 2 years in a service occupation, such as customer service in restaurants, hotels or resorts. Use numbers on your resume, such as guests served or complaints resolved.

How long is flight attendant training?

The BLS says initial airline training usually lasts several weeks to a few months. It covers emergency procedures, and you must pass an exam. After that, you take additional training as required and recurrent training every year.

What is the FAA flight attendant certificate?

It is the certificate of demonstrated proficiency. The FAA says flight attendants working in the cabin of an aircraft with 20 or more seats used by an air carrier must hold it. The FAA issues it after your airline reports that you finished the approved training, and it lists the airplane group, propeller-driven (Group 1) or turbojet-powered (Group 2), or both.

Do I need to speak English?

Yes. Federal law (49 U.S.C. 44728) says flight attendants must read and understand English, speak and understand it well enough to direct and answer passengers, write incident reports and follow written and oral instructions. Flights serving only points outside the U.S. are exempt. The BLS adds that some international routes may require another language.

Do I need a passport?

The BLS lists a valid passport among typical applicant requirements, along with eligibility to work in the U.S., a background check and a drug test.

Are there vision or height requirements?

The BLS says vision must typically be correctable to at least 20/40, and some airlines set height requirements. Some airlines also require a medical evaluation, so read each posting.

How much do flight attendants earn?

The BLS reports a May 2025 median of $63,580 a year, with the lowest 10% earning under $35,110 and the highest 10% earning over $136,430. Pay varies by airline and seniority, and nothing here promises income.

What is the job outlook?

The BLS projects 9% growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, or about 11,800 jobs. It expects about 18,500 openings a year, mostly from workers who change occupations or leave the workforce, and the field employed about 133,700 people in 2025.

Conclusion

Becoming a flight attendant takes clear steps: meet the requirements, build service experience, apply, finish training and earn your FAA certificate. Start by reading a few airline postings, then use the checklist above to stay on track.