After over two years of negotiations, flight attendants at Alaska Airlines have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract. The agreement, which was approved by 95% of voting members, provides significant pay increases and other improvements for the airline’s 6,900 flight attendants.
Highlights of the new agreement include:
- Immediate pay increases of 18.6%-28.3%, with additional 3% raises in 2026 and 2027.
- “Industry-leading” boarding pay of 0.5 trip for pay (TFP) per departure, a 19% increase from the previous tentative agreement.
- Increased 401(k) company match, rising to 8.5% by 2026.
- Improvements to scheduling, sick leave, and holiday pay.
The new pay rates will make Alaska flight attendants among the highest paid in the industry. By the end of the contract in 2027, top-of-scale flight attendants will earn $78.77 per TFP, a 30.6% increase from current rates.
“This contract will immediately and significantly improve the lives of Alaska Flight Attendants,” said Jeffrey Peterson, Association of Flight Attendants Alaska MEC President, in a news release. “Alaska Flight Attendants’ solidarity pushed management to recognize our critical role to the safety and success of this airline.”
The agreement comes after flight attendants rejected an initial tentative agreement in August 2024.
The ratification ends a prolonged period of labor negotiations at the Seattle-based airline. It is the eighth ratified labor contract between Alaska Air Group and its represented workgroups in the past three years.
“One of the many reasons our guests choose to fly Alaska is our flight attendants and the warm welcome, fantastic service and commitment to safety they provide onboard. I’m glad to have them working under a new contract that values their contributions to Alaska, and I’m grateful to our colleagues at AFA who bargained with determination and fierce dedication for our flight attendants,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said in a news release.
With this contract now in place, attention will turn to upcoming joint contract negotiations following Alaska’s recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. Union leaders see the new Alaska agreement as setting a strong foundation for those talks.
The new contract took effect on Sunday. Flight attendants will receive retroactive pay increases dating back to December 2022, when their previous contract became amendable.
