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United Flight Attendants Secure 31% Pay Raise, New Benefits

5/13/2026

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Summary

United Attendants Approve

United Airlines flight attendants approved a new five-year contract on May 13, 2026, with 82% of voting members in favor.
The contract gives about 30,000 attendants a 31% base-pay rise by August 2026, adds 7%–8% boarding pay, and provides $741 million retroactive wages.
It also limits red-eye flights, pays sit-time for delays over 2½ hours, ends 24-hour on-call reserves, and grants 10 weeks paid parental leave.

Summary

United Margin Cut

United Airlines will see $241 million cut from its 2026 operating margin because of the new labor contract.
The carrier, having booked a $500 million retro-pay expense, sees the agreement erode its labor-cost advantage and raise profitability pressure via higher hourly, boarding and sit-pay rates.
United’s leadership expects the pact to raise morale, improve onboard service quality, and reinforce recent cabin, lounge and premium-seating investments.

Summary

United Ratifies Contract

United Airlines shares slipped 0.8% to $95.84 in after-hours trading after the contract was ratified.
Mediator Michael Kelliher finalized the new contract after a July 2025 tentative agreement was rejected by 71% of members.
The deal follows recent contracts at American Airlines in September 2024 and Southwest Airlines in April 2024 that added boarding pay.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA is part of the Communications Workers of America, representing more than 500,000 workers.

History

Historical Context

United Airlines’ 2024 contract, negotiated by Michael Kelliher and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, delivers a substantial base-pay increase that mirrors the airline’s early labor victories. Flight attendants first organized the AFA in 1945, the first successful union at United, and the five-day strike of 1993 secured a historic wage gain that showed large pay improvements could reshape airline labor costs.

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United Attendants Approve

United Airlines flight attendants approved a new five-year contract on May 13, 2026, with 82% of voting members in favor.
The contract gives about 30,000 attendants a 31% base-pay rise by August 2026, adds 7%–8% boarding pay, and provides $741 million retroactive wages.
It also limits red-eye flights, pays sit-time for delays over 2½ hours, ends 24-hour on-call reserves, and grants 10 weeks paid parental leave.

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