United Flight Attendants Secure Tentative 40% Pay Boost

United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA have agreed to an “industry-leading” tentative contract that promises substantial gains for the carrier’s 28,000 cabin crew members, who have not received a wage increase since 2020. Under the deal, flight attendants will see 40 percent of total economic improvements in the first year, including retroactive pay and a one-time signing bonus designed to reward their patience and dedication.

Beyond financial enhancements, the agreement delivers meaningful quality-of-life upgrades such as improved scheduling practices and reduced on-call demands, addressing long-standing concerns that led crew members to vote last year to authorize a strike if talks stalled. Flight attendants also sought federal mediation in their negotiations as they pushed for pay parity with pilots and other work groups that secured new contracts in the pandemic’s aftermath.

United, the last of the major U.S. carriers to finalize a pact with its cabin staff, will now work with the union to finalize contract language in the coming days before presenting the agreement to flight attendants for ratification. If approved, the new terms will reinforce United’s commitment to frontline employees who navigated staffing shortages, increased workloads and the challenges of restoring service after the pandemic.

For flight crews, the retroactive pay addresses losses incurred over multiple years of frozen wages, while the signing bonus and immediate economic improvements provide an urgent boost to benefit from rising living costs. The quality-of-life provisions promise more predictable monthly schedules, fairer distribution of on-call shifts and additional rest opportunities between trips—measures that union leaders say are critical to crew well-being and safety.

United and its flight attendants now turn to the membership vote, which will determine whether the tentative deal becomes the formal labor contract guiding pay and working conditions for the next several years. If ratified, the agreement will mark a significant milestone in airline labor relations, reflecting the collective power of cabin crews who fought for recognition alongside pilots and ground workers.

As United prepares to implement the terms, other industry employees will watch closely, gauging the pact’s impact on recruitment, retention and operational stability at a time when airlines face mounting pressure to balance service growth with labor costs.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, cnbc.com