Flight attendants can expect different starting salaries and perks when working for the major airlines.
EasyJet, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways all offer pay scales and financial incentives to their cabin crews. Some can get extra for catching passengers with oversized bags, while others earn for every hour that they’re in the air.
Although some of the airlines have been coy about how much they pay staff, we’ve pulled together a rundown of the pay and perks based on publicly available information.
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View 2 ImagesA British Airways flight attendant appeared in court (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Virgin Atlantic was the only airline we asked to share its official flight attendant salary figures.
Cabin crew receive a starting basic salary of £22,447.32, plus average expected trip pay of around £5,000 (based on 48 trips per year) and any commission, alongside additional variable payments and down-route allowances.
Its spokesperson said: “Virgin Atlantic offers competitive packages that reflect long-haul travel alongside travel opportunities, career progression, wellbeing support, training, private health, an inclusive work environment and rewards for loyalty designed to support long-term careers – which is why we continue to see strong retention amongst our cabin crew.
“Loyalty and experience are rewarded with more experienced cabin crew earning higher basic pay and overall packages, with senior Virgin Atlantic cabin crew amongst the highest rewarded in the UK market, reflecting the level of expertise, safety responsibility and customer experience delivered onboard”
According to salaries reported by staff members on Indeed, Ryanair cabin crew earn a base salary of £17,630.
A 2024 Telegraph story — where one of their writers took part in a Ryanair recruitment day — notes that cabin crew were paid an average salary of approximately £23,000. The starting salary stands at £15,750, but this doesn’t account for flight payments (crew members earn a supplement for each hour they spend in the air) or commission. Additionally, staff are said to enjoy unlimited standby tickets.
As of mid-2025, Ryanair flight attendants and gate staff receive extra payments, including a “gate bag bonus” of roughly €1.50 (£1.30) – €2.50 for identifying oversized luggage, although this is capped at €80, and a 10% commission on onboard sales
British Airways offers a structured pay package made up of base salary, flight duty pay, and allowances, with earnings increasing through experience and route type.
AviationA2Z puts the starting salary at £24,000, while one cabin crew member with a year’s experience, based at Gatwick, said their total take home pay was £30,000.
As per Aviation A2Z, easyJet crew members are paid a basic standard salary. Currently, easyJet cabin crew are paid an overall salary that starts from £22,000 per year, with £2,000 average increments in each annual cycle. Each individual’s salary largely depends on their overall experience, the total duration of their employment with the airline, the flight hours they clock, and the applicable taxes if they work in different EU countries.
Beyond their base wages, easyJet cabin crew are entitled to layover allowances for meals, which vary depending on the destination. The airline also arranges transportation for the crew to and from the airport while they are in transit. Furthermore, cabin crew can earn a 10% commission on every sale made during a flight, which includes food, drinks, and duty-free items offered on board.
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According to one flight attendant, easyJet’s flight fee is generous, at £55 each way for a trip to Egypt, for example. A layover payment of £30 is also given to staff.