I was a flight attendant for 2 years. Here are 6 perks of the job that I miss the most. (2024)

Flying for free is hands down the best perk of the job

My personal favorite perk was free flights.

Flight attendants traveled for free with my airline, and I got free or discounted tickets with partner airlines. I could also list my family — including parents, partners, kids, and two best friends — to reap the benefits.

A lot of employees stay with a job just for this.

I definitely miss staying at nice hotels for free

We never had to pay for a hotel on the job — otherwise, we essentially wouldn't make any money with all the layovers.

My hotels always ranged from three to five stars. And if it was a long layover, the hotel had to be in the downtown area with easy access to restaurants and local transportation.

I've never had a more flexible work schedule

I could build my schedule based on my needs.

Some prefer to work quick turnarounds and be back home with family every night, others like international flights with long layovers at hotels.

Most flight attendants can also get as many days off as they need during the month.

I think aviation has some of the best work benefits

Maternity leave in the aviation industry is amazing. There's regular paid time off, but there's no limit to how much unpaid time you can get.

Flight attendants can also fly up to seven months into their pregnancy — and there are even cute maternity uniforms.

Another perk is that there's no retirement age. As long as you can perform all the duties and pass the annual training, you're qualified for another year.

Usually, flight attendants stick with the job as long as they physically can because every year the salary grows. Staying 30 to 50 years with the company gives you a pretty good paycheck.

I got very comfortable in airports, and I miss bypassing long security lines

Airports became my second home while I was working.

Luckily, TSA and airport security developed a special program for airline and airport employees to expedite entry.

Each employee goes through a serious background check before receiving a barcode, and the employee entry process only takes a couple of minutes compared to a long line at the TSA checkpoints.

But flight attendants are still subject to random checks.

One of the things I miss the most is the uniform — and the status that came with it

I love cabin-crew uniforms, from a basic dress, shiny wings, and striped scarf to black heels and a matching carry-on.

It looks so charming when crews walk through the airport, and it often makes you feel a little like a celebrity.

I had girls asking me to take pictures with them on the plane. And I'll never forget the fight from Seoul, South Korea, one summer when a brother and sister wrapped small packages for all the flight attendants with thank-you cards, vitamin C, and a pumpkin pie.

Each card had different messages, and mine was a simple suggestion to move kids to first class if we had available seats.

It was the warmest gift I've ever received, and I assure you they got a lot of ice cream on that flight.