Transportation and Material Moving
Flight Attendants
Monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.
Also called: Flight Attendant, In-Flight Crew Member, Inflight Services Flight Attendant, International Flight Attendant, Purser
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $61,510
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 4,310
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +10.2%
- 540 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Moderate-term on-the-job training; Less than 5 years of related work experience
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31,730 | $59,520 | $61,510 | $96,520 | $99,390 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Verify that first aid kits and other emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles, are in working order.
- Announce and demonstrate safety and emergency procedures, such as the use of oxygen masks, seat belts, and life jackets.
- Monitor passenger behavior to identify threats to the safety of the crew and other passengers.
- Walk aisles of planes to verify that passengers have complied with federal regulations prior to takeoffs and landings.
- Direct and assist passengers in emergency procedures, such as evacuating a plane following an emergency landing.
- Prepare passengers and aircraft for landing, following procedures.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Lower exposure30 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 24
- Language-model AIOE 36
- GPTs-are-GPTs 31
Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)
Flight attendants have lower AI exposure, and some AI use is already seen in this job. AI tools may help with routine checklists and standard safety information. Watching passenger behavior, walking the aisles, and guiding people during an emergency depend on people. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 10.2% from 2024 to 2034.
Likely to change
- Routine equipment checklists and records
- Standard safety announcements and information
Still relies on people
- Watching passenger behavior for safety threats
- Guiding passengers through emergency evacuations
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
Related jobs that build on what you already do.
Firefighters
Your emergency response and passenger safety skills carry over to firefighting. It pays well but involves long-term on-the-job training.
- Pay difference
- +$12,480 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +4.4%
- To get started
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Your knowledge of aircraft safety equipment helps with aircraft maintenance. This job has lower AI exposure and higher pay, and requires a postsecondary nondegree award.
- Pay difference
- +$31,770 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +6.5%
- To get started
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
Your skills in passenger safety and customer service carry over to driving a transit bus, which has higher median pay and steady growth.
- Pay difference
- +$8,610 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +9.3%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Related occupations
- Passenger Attendants
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Airfield Operations Specialists
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops
- Transportation Security Screeners
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Air Traffic Controllers
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
Talk to a career coach