How to Become a Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant

Last Updated: February 13, 2023 References Approved

Southwest Airlines is a popular company for prospective flight attendants due to its great benefits, healthcare offerings, and retirement plans.^{[1]
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Research source} While it can be difficult to be hired by this airline, there are plenty of ways you can prepare yourself for the application and employment process. Spend some time developing the necessary skills and training for the position before you apply. Take special care when putting your online resume together and submitting it on Southwest’s career website. Next, prepare for the possible interview process by anticipating possible questions and topics that will be brought up throughout phone and in-person interviews. With some perseverance and luck, you can start your career as a Southwest Airlines employee!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Familiarizing Yourself with the Job

1
Recognize that the shifts for flight attendants can be both flexible and inconsistent. Unlike other jobs in the customer service industry, you can get a lot of say in how many hours you work and when you work them. If one of your co-workers doesn’t want to take a certain flight, you can easily fill in for them. Additionally, you might have a schedule that alternates between set flight times and on-call duty.^{[2]
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- Because of the flexibility that comes with being a flight attendant, it helps to live especially close to an airport.
2
Expect to work on holidays and other special occasions. Don’t plan on any extensive trips over the holidays, as you’ll probably be assigned to a variety of flights. Since the holiday season involves lots of traveling, there’s a very good chance that you’ll be needed aboard a variety of flights. Keep in mind that you might spend major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving on a plane.^{[3]
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3
Anticipate making a solid hourly rate as a Southwest flight attendant. While your salary may differ depending on your experience level, take note of the average hourly rate for flight attendants, which is $32 per hour. Don’t be surprised if you make a bonus along the way, as the average supplemental pay for most flight attendants is $1,733. When you’re employed with Southwest, you’ll also have access to profit-sharing, as well as some stock bonuses.^{[4]
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- Starting out, your average base salary will be closer to $22 for the first 6 months. After 1 year, it will increase to around $25 per hour.
- Additionally, you can expect to get a per diem, or small allowance, that lets you pay for food and other necessities while you’re traveling.^{[5]
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4
Take a flight attendant training class to prepare for the job. Head to Dallas for 4 weeks to complete the flight attendant training program. In this class, you’ll prepare for different scenarios on the plane, and become well-rounded in different duties you’ll have to perform on a flight. Remember to ask your trainers for help whenever you have a question!^{[6]
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- A big part of this training involves serving on practice flights. During these trips, you can shadow a more experienced crew member and learn exactly what to do.
- You can’t serve in a flight crew until you attend and pass this training.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Applying for the Position

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Obtain a high school diploma or equivalent to be a flight attendant. Keep in mind that Southwest only hires individuals over the age of 18. To submit a job application, you must meet this age requirement and also have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.^{[8]
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Research source} Keep in mind that nearly 30,000 people apply for 1,200 of the Southwest flight attendant positions offered each year, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the job.^{[9]
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- Applicants tend to stand out if they have an Associates or Bachelor’s degree.
- Unlike regulations in the 20th century, modern airlines like Southwest don’t have specific height and weight requirements for flight attendants. Instead, employees should fall within the general height-to-weight ratio for their height.^{[10]
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2
Search online for different job opportunities with Southwest Airlines. Go to the “Careers” section of Southwest’s website to look for available jobs. Look on the top of the page to find a search bar that lets you see which job openings are available. Type in “flight attendant” and see which job opportunities come up.^{[11]
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- You can find their website here: https://careers.southwestair.com.
- Southwest Airlines only has around 1,200 flight attendant job openings throughout the year. If there is a position available, there’s a good chance that it might not be in a location near you.^{[12]
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3
Connect with the campus reach team on Facebook to learn about new job opportunities. If you have a question about the application process or your own application, shoot a professional message over to Southwest’s official campus reach team. Keep in mind that this group is focused more on college-aged individuals and other young adults looking for careers with Southwest.^{[13]
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- For instance, message something like, “Good morning! My name is Jane Doe, and I recently applied to be a flight attendant with your company. I understand that you receive many applicants for this position, so is there anything I can do in the meantime? Thank you for your time!”
4
Emphasize your people skills and language fluency on your resume. When preparing your resume, note any previous leadership or customer service experience in your application. Additionally, specify if you speak any foreign languages, like Spanish. If you’d like to work on international flights in the future, then extra language skills can come in handy^{[14]
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- The employment field for being a Southwest flight attendant is extremely competitive. If you want to stand out, prove in your resume that you have experience dealing with fussy customers, and that you can handle long shifts and extensive work schedules.
- Try to make your resume stand out by designing it in Southwest’s red, blue, and yellow color scheme.
5
Submit your resume to the airline online. Input your email into a specified prompt on the website. After you do this, you’ll be redirected to an application page. If you have a social media account like Facebook or LinkedIn, you can sync your profile over to automatically fill in the personal information blanks of the application. Additionally, you can upload a digital copy of your resume to this portion of the application. If you don’t have a resume on hand, select the “Upload Resume at a later time” box on the webpage.^{[15]
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- During this application process, you’ll have to create a login for the Southwest website.
- Only link a social media account or profile that’s professional and polished. Don’t link the company to accounts that show you being reckless, or doing anything that goes against the company’s values of integrity and responsibility.
6
Apply for an internship if you’re currently a college student. If you’re currently enrolled at a university, you might be able to skip the main application process altogether! Instead, submit an application to Southwest’s college internship program. While you probably won’t be doing any flight attendant work during your internship, you might get hired for a full-time position at the end of your work period!^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Moving Forward in the Employment Process

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Participate in a preliminary phone interview to discuss your qualifications. Wait several weeks or months to receive an email from one of Southwest’s Human Resources (HR) representatives. Continue corresponding with this individual, and wait for them to schedule a phone interview.^{[17]
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Research source} Prepare for a variety of topics, including general questions about your motivations to work for Southwest. Additionally, get ready to share examples of times in your previous jobs where you were a great team player.^{[18]
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- For instance, if you took the initiative and covered for a variety of shifts for your co-workers, mention that in the interview.
- Keep in mind that the preliminary interview won’t be as in-depth as the in-person interview.
- The employment process usually takes a long time. Past employees have waited up to eight months before scheduling an in-person interview with the airline.^{[19]
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2
Go to an individual interview to speak with recruiters. Go to Dallas to attend an interview with hiring associates. Before attending this meeting, try to anticipate what questions your employers will ask. Prepare yourself for theoretical questions, and be ready to explain how your qualifications make you a great fit for the job.^{[20]
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- For instance, the hiring associates might ask you how you’d plan to manage a long, international flight without feeling tired out. Be ready to cite instances in your past jobs where you’ve had to work long hours, and how you were successful during those shifts.
3
Anticipate plenty of interview questions about your attitude and motivations. Get ready for general questions, such as why you want to work as a flight attendant for Southwest. Additionally, prepare yourself for questions revolving your experience with tough situations in a team setting. Think back to any past customer service work you’ve had in the past, and mention ways you positively stood out in the workplace and were able to diffuse negative situations.^{[21]
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- To gain more experience before applying as a flight attendant, consider working as a retail associate or another job involving customer service.
4
Pass a drug test and background check before training for the position. Wait for HR representatives to contact you with special forms for the hiring process. Once Southwest officially hires you, you’ll have to go through a background check and perform a drug test to prove that you’re healthy and legally qualified for the position. Follow the guidelines set by the company, and try to get these tests and checks completed as soon as possible.^{[22]
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- Be prepared to wait a little while for these results to come in. It usually takes a few days for a background check to be processed, but it can take longer depending on what shows up in your personal record.^{[23]
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- Log into the digital portal on your state’s website to check the status of your background check.
5
Go to a physical or medical check-up to make sure that you’re healthy. Schedule an appointment to meet with your doctor while you’re waiting for your drug test and background check results to come in. Get a routine check-up to make sure that you’re healthy before starting your new job, and see if you’re up-to-date on all necessary vaccines. Keep a file from this appointment to give to an HR representative or other Southwest employee, if necessary.^{[24]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
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Community Q&A

Question

Are there lower and upper age limits for flight attendants?

Community Answer

For most airlines, 18 is the minimum age to be hired. You can never be too old, as long as you're in good shape.
Question

Are there flight attendant schools in Houston, TX?

Community Answer

Each airline has a training center. Once you get hired, the airline flies you free of charge to their training center. You stay at the training facility for free the whole training period.
Question

What is the starting salary for a flight attendant?

Community Answer

Depends on the airline. Most major airlines start around $20 an hour. You can top out as high as $60 an hour. Most airlines have restrictions on how many hours you can fly in a month, often 80.