United Airlines, flight attendants reach labor deal for first raises since pandemic

In this articleUnited Airlines and its flight attendant union have reached a tentative labor deal that will include their first raises in roughly six years.If ratified by flight attendants, it would make United the last of the major carriers to secure a labor deal with cabin crew members since the Covid-19 pandemic ended.United said the agreement will include immediate raises and top pay of $100 an hour at the end of the contract, as well as pay for flight attendants during boarding and "a signing bonus for every flight attendant worth a total of $740 million."The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the flight attendants union, didn't provide specific details about the deal but said that in addition to higher base pay, it includes additional compensation for flight disruptions and new restrictions on overnight flight assignments.The labor deal comes as United is planning an aggressive expansion of its higher-touch premium cabins, with new seats featuring elevated dining options and seats that convert into beds. United flight attendants last July rejected a previous labor deal that would have included immediate, 26% raises.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

All Rights Reserved. A Versant Media Company. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by