Last week, we learned how United flight attendants may finally be getting a new contract, after a very drawn out negotiation process. There’s now a major update, as the details of the contract have been published, so let’s take a look at that.
In this post:
United & AFA reach tentative agreement on new contract
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) and United Airlines have announced that they’ve reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for 30,000 flight attendants. For some background, in recent years we’ve seen flight attendants at most major airlines in the United States negotiate new contracts, following the pandemic.
Delta flight attendants aren’t unionized, so they get proactive pay raises, but don’t negotiate new contracts in the same way, since they don’t have collective bargaining. Meanwhile the only major airline where flight attendants haven’t received a new contract is United.
Around the middle of 2025, a tentative agreement was reached for a new contract at United. However, flight attendants ended up rejecting the contract in a vote, with 71% of the membership base voting against the contract. This has been a really drawn out negotiation process, and it has certainly caused some bad blood between management and the union.
The full details of the tentative agreement have just been made public. Voting among flight attendants will take place between April 23 and May 12, and if ratified, the new contract would go into effect as of May 31, 2026.
United has obviously been improving financially in recent years, and is increasingly moving out of American’s league and into Delta’s league. However, United has also had a major advantage when it comes to labor costs, given the number of employee work groups that don’t have new contracts.
Details of the new United flight attendant contract
Back in 2025 when flight attendants voted on the first contract, the agreement included the following (or so it was described):
- Industry leading compensation
- Industry leading retro pay
- Hotel, scheduling, reserve, and other quality of life improvements
- In the first year alone, flight attendants would gain 40% of total economic improvements
It was actually a very competitive contract, but flight attendants wanted an industry leading contract, and there were some specific provisions the membership base wasn’t happy about. It seems that with this updated contract, flight attendants can expect the following incremental improvements over the last contract:
- Improved base pay rates
- Restrictions on redeye flying
- Sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits of over 2.5 hours
- Increased retro pay
- Improved language in hotels and electronic notifications
For example, below is the new proposed pay scale, looking at how rates would evolve over the course of the contract.
With this contract, flight attendants would also get retro pay dating back several years, which is a percentage of eligible earnings. For example, they’d get 4% pay for September through December 2021, 4% pay for 2022, 2023, and 2024, 22% pay for 2025, and 25% pay for January through May 2026.
Bottom line
United flight attendants and management have reached a new tentative agreement on a contract, after the membership overwhelmingly rejected the 2025 contract proposal. We now know the details of the new contract, and there are indeed some incremental improvements.
I hope that flight attendants are happy with this and that it gets ratified, so that this tension between management and employees goes away. For that matter, it’ll be very interesting to see how this impacts United’s financial performance as well…
What do you make of United flight attendants once again having a tentative agreement?
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel/our-insights/brilliant-moves-coffee-with-united-airlines-ceo-scott-kirby
Wow, imagine paying a grandma $120k/year to service drinks and peanuts. No wonder airfare is going up like crazy and service is going down...
Will they be happier the next time I see them? And the time after that ....?
Crazy scenario. Oil prices stay where they are for a couple of years. Airlines initially try to get money out of customers with changes to baggage allowances and increases to Companion Fees (looking at you WestJet) and other small revenue generating schemes but these do not make up the extra fuel costs. Fairs increase and rewards availability and costs increase. There is a recession. More companies lay off 30,000 people with just an email. Fewer...
Crazy scenario. Oil prices stay where they are for a couple of years. Airlines initially try to get money out of customers with changes to baggage allowances and increases to Companion Fees (looking at you WestJet) and other small revenue generating schemes but these do not make up the extra fuel costs. Fairs increase and rewards availability and costs increase. There is a recession. More companies lay off 30,000 people with just an email. Fewer people travel. Business revenue declines. The middle aged and older moneyed folks who made out well with the market boom have done their trips to Italy and Spain and now are old and tired and the market is not booming anymore. Non business revenue declines as well. What is next? Layoffs. While I would rather see FAs getting the money than billionaires, these wage settlements are nice in the short term but might not be sustainable. Save up.
the outcome of your scenario might be a little extreme but oil industry analysts say it could take several years for supplies to rebalance even if the Strait is reopened soon. Production in the Middle East has been reduced because there is no way to export the crude. Refineries in multiple parts of the world are short on crude.
A significant portion of jet fuel used in Europe is refined in the Middle East...
the outcome of your scenario might be a little extreme but oil industry analysts say it could take several years for supplies to rebalance even if the Strait is reopened soon. Production in the Middle East has been reduced because there is no way to export the crude. Refineries in multiple parts of the world are short on crude.
A significant portion of jet fuel used in Europe is refined in the Middle East - so can't get out of the region. Shortages are already showing up at European airports.
Western US, more reliant on foreign oil than the rest of the country, is expected to see shortages within a couple weeks.
Gas stations in several countries in Asia are dry.
Alot of people are not really contemplating how bad this thing will go if a solution to reopen the Strait doesn't happen soon.
UA has no choice but to proceed w/ settling with the FAs - and move toward other labor groups including the pilots - but the timing could not be worse for the company.
Reportedly, DL's pilot union would like to open their negotiations w/ the company early so they can have a new contract on time at the end of the year indicating the potential for a much more difficult negotiating environment over the next couple years and a willingness to lock in gains w/ "me too" clauses should other airlines settle w/ their pilots for more.
I guess Lucky just has too many FA friends these days and is in lockstep with the union party, but where are the sensible notes from previous more measured articles (2023?) that questioned how airlines can even afford the increased labor rates, especially now with fuel costs?
And remember folks, these people serve you and “deserve” more money and are there primarily for your “safety”, or whatever, but they’re also publicly committed to CHAOS and...
I guess Lucky just has too many FA friends these days and is in lockstep with the union party, but where are the sensible notes from previous more measured articles (2023?) that questioned how airlines can even afford the increased labor rates, especially now with fuel costs?
And remember folks, these people serve you and “deserve” more money and are there primarily for your “safety”, or whatever, but they’re also publicly committed to CHAOS and WAR to disrupt your travel plans because they don’t give a flying f about you.
I am all for higher pay for the United FA’s who exhibit professionalism and courtesy and do their best to match the very high standards of global leaders like Singapore and Qatar. I’d guess that FA population is about 25% of the UA workforce. And in probably bro by generous. Perhaps this raise will convince the other 75% to do their job properly. But I’m skeptical. Some people just should not be doing this particular job and UA seems uniquely skilled at hiring them.
Merit based raises would be amazing. The union won’t allow it.
This is a refreshing take. I totally agree - though that 25% is probably weighted towards low seniority.
It’s so odd to me that the FAs have so much bargaining power and so many people are unhappy to be at work when so many people apply for those jobs. So many people want and are qualified for them and yet will never have a shot
So these women are going to make six figures serving pretzels and drinks? We never want to hear about equal pay for girls ever again.
They also barricade passengers from the lavatory during extended climb, a one-hour descent, and whenever the cockpit crew feels like having a cozy dinner conversation over their gourmet reheated entrees. And let's not forget the invaluable personal growth they experience while being comfy in jump seats together during 'turbulence' that mysteriously lasts exactly as long as their gossip or working condition gripe session.
And if you want to invoke 'safety,' some of them can't...
They also barricade passengers from the lavatory during extended climb, a one-hour descent, and whenever the cockpit crew feels like having a cozy dinner conversation over their gourmet reheated entrees. And let's not forget the invaluable personal growth they experience while being comfy in jump seats together during 'turbulence' that mysteriously lasts exactly as long as their gossip or working condition gripe session.
And if you want to invoke 'safety,' some of them can't stumble through a manual safety demo without forgetting whether the oxygen mask drops down or sideways, and I could easily smoke most of them in a 'plane's-on-fire-save-yourself' 100-yard dash.
Snark aside, I've experienced some truly great UA flight attendants - but I think those folks just love their jobs and it shows. Those FA's deserve the great salary and benefits.
So getting paid to smile and loving their jobs justifies these stewardesses six figure salaries? Give me a break.
Dave, thanks for confirming your active incel status!
No, they also deserve the better pay because of all the known health risks that are associated with flying. Do you know that every eight hrs of flying is equivalent to getting a chest X-ray without having the benefit of having the lead protection sleeves provided when having X-rays in a medical facility? It’s called solar radiation. There are many harmful effects to the body that’s associated are associated with flying that Flight Attendants constantly...
No, they also deserve the better pay because of all the known health risks that are associated with flying. Do you know that every eight hrs of flying is equivalent to getting a chest X-ray without having the benefit of having the lead protection sleeves provided when having X-rays in a medical facility? It’s called solar radiation. There are many harmful effects to the body that’s associated are associated with flying that Flight Attendants constantly expose themselves to in order to “serve you” those delicious meals and alcoholic or non alcoholic beverages. Oh yes, I must not forget about also ensuring your safety.
What are those women going to do during an actual crisis (which is very rare by the way) other than scream and cry their heads off??
Dave, answer for OMAAT - what are smaller, your hands or your balls?
Not "Good" in the title.
Excessively high pay should be cut. That's what the government does with Medicare. I hear some surgeries used to pay $2500 but now, after year after year of cuts, pays $500.
FA pay should be capped at about 10 years. Beyond 10 years and many FAs are actually worse. The best FAs have about 3 years of experience. They aren't worth $85-100/hour.
The pay should be increased for FAs over 1 year and then capped 5-10 years.
Rising tide lifts all boats. No need to sink anyone here.
Except that it is literally sinking a generation of young workers and driving up costs in the process. Crews didn’t used to be this seniority heavy. It’s gatekeeping the next generation of workers while getting double the pay. Its just wrong
first, boarding pay doesn't appear to be better than what DL pioneered or AA matched. Help us see how this is superior - it does appear to be 5 years late.
second, the retro payments look good and could well incentify alot of UA FAs to take the retro and leave - but it will cost UA about $750 million in real cash (not an accounting accrual) at the time cash is being severely crunched...
first, boarding pay doesn't appear to be better than what DL pioneered or AA matched. Help us see how this is superior - it does appear to be 5 years late.
second, the retro payments look good and could well incentify alot of UA FAs to take the retro and leave - but it will cost UA about $750 million in real cash (not an accounting accrual) at the time cash is being severely crunched by soaring jet fuel costs.
and UA FAs will not recover the time value of money for not having that pay during the inflation the US has seen in 40 years during the early post covid years.
third, the claims of "industry leading compensation" are made just be a couple percentage at some point in the future, at best. It is a given that someone else's contract will be reopened and settled before the end of this contract - even w/o considering that DL is certain to give raises to its non-union employees including FAs.
fourth, what is the formula for profit sharing in this contract and why is there no retro on it? DL employees have received about four months worth of pay in profit sharing over the past 5 years.
fifth, DL FAs and nearly all non-pilot personnel do not pay union dues. Add in what UA employees pay in union dues and DL FAs are likely over the UA new TA rates already.
and let's not forget that other labor groups including mechanics do not have settled contracts.
Jet fuel is approaching $5/gallon in the US - even higher in other parts of the world including E. Asia where there are shortages that are forcing airlines to cancel routes.
The confluence of labor cost increases, massive capex which is seeing large numbers of aircraft being delivered just as capacity has to be cut, and soaring jet fuel prices is going to put a much harder squeeze on UA than other US and global airlines.
Or, airline executives could stop playing silly accounting tricks, using their frequent flyer programs like slush funds, while claiming (sowie) they have no more money to pay anyone a living, much less a thriving, wage.
do you rummage through the trash at your local McDonald's to come up w/ these straw arguments?
Airline employees including UA FAs even under the current/hopefully old contract, make above average wages compared to the average American.
The problem is the size of the gap between the highest and lowest paid workers and that is very clear looking at the proposed rates under this new contract?
Tell us, oh wise union advocate and socialist, what...
do you rummage through the trash at your local McDonald's to come up w/ these straw arguments?
Airline employees including UA FAs even under the current/hopefully old contract, make above average wages compared to the average American.
The problem is the size of the gap between the highest and lowest paid workers and that is very clear looking at the proposed rates under this new contract?
Tell us, oh wise union advocate and socialist, what is the justification for such a wise gap in pay and esp. for the difference in access to a high quality career for senior FAs that newer FAs will never see?
and you do realize that it is precisely the success of these "slush fund" loyalty programs that have supported massive pay raises? It isn't a surprise that DL - with an industry leading sized partnership w/ Amex - was the first of the big 4 to settle with its pilots and non-pilot personnel post covid.
Tim, how about showing ACTUAL data.
Got that for us?
You’ll never see that from Tiny Handed Tim, no time for data pulls writing 50k words a day slurping DL and attacking UA
the data is in the first post.
Feel free to debate the data and not the messenger.
Without the frequent flier program they would have lost a few billion dollars last year. You can argue the only people who deserve a raise are the executives who manage the program. Everything else has negative unit economics.
Here is how I would title this article:
Bad: United Ticket Prices See Huge Increases, And More
That’ll happen regardless.
Between the fuel cost increases due to Trump’s war, you can blame whomever and whatever you want.
Some of us prefer not to punch-down on the workers who serve us and deserve better.
Yup, price increases fully on the Slurring Stumbling 25th Amendment in Chief
Congrats, United flight attendants! Well-deserved. Thank you, Ben, for following this.
Incoming: Delta to offer their non-union FA’s $1 extra so as to attempt them from organizing (a known strategy and a tale as old as time…)
*drops line in water* c’mon, fishy fishy… (Tim, it’s bait, just for you, sir.)
Excellent news! Unions often tend to be demonised in the media and public consciousness, but to me this is why they're vital. I can't imagine a scenario where they'd have gotten this much – which they well deserve – without a union fighting their corner.
Unions built the American middle class. It’s oligarchic control of our media and ignorant bootlickers that make it seem like some think organized labor is bad. The reality is that it’s one of our greatest economic strengths.
I couldn't agree more.