WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12, 2026) — United Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, today voted by 82% to ratify a new contract. The agreement provides a 31% average wage increase for the nearly 30,000 Flight Attendants plus boarding pay (additional 7-8% compensation on average) this summer, and $741 million in retroactive pay among many other improvements.
“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic, said Ken Diaz, AFA United President. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”
The contract was ratified with 82% voting for the agreement and 88.85% votes cast of all eligible. This contract was reached at the National Mediation Board with the assistance of mediator Michael Kelliher.
“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants and it should,” said Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing over 55,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines. “We will continue to press forward with all of our contracts and build power with our organizing to ensure Flight Attendants are respected with meaningful return for our work as aviation’s first responders.”
The five-year contract includes:
- 31% base pay rate increase this summer – Average increase in base pay with June and August ‘26 raises compounded
- Boarding pay (on average 7-8% increase to compensation)
- $741 Million in Retro Pay
- Expanded job security aligned with United Pilots including limits on Express flying, code and revenue share
- Restrictions on red-eye flying
- Sit Pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours (incentive to decrease long, unpaid sits)
- Per Diem and 401k contribution increases
- 10 weeks paid maternity and two weeks paid parental and adoption leaves
- Elimination of 24 hour on-call reserve with 14 Hours Reserve Availability Periods
- Improved language in Hotels and Electronic Notification
- Increased Pay for premiums including International Purser and Language position
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The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 80 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits, working conditions, and public awareness about the role of aviation’s first responders. Over 55,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 500,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at afacwa.org.
