United Reaches Tentative Deal With Flight Attendants

Image: United Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9. (Photo Credit: MKPhoto/Adobe)
Image: United Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9. (Photo Credit: MKPhoto/Adobe)
Eraine Wessler
by Eraine Wessler
Last updated: 12:20 PM ET, Sat May 24, 2025

On Friday, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) said that United Airlines had reached a tentative agreement with its roughly 28,000 flight attendants. The AFA and United have been negotiating since the current contract (which became negotiated in 2016), became amenable in mid-2021. The last raise for cabin crews was in 2020, and there have been occasional protests since then. Last month, United’s CEO Scott Kirby had said, “We’re getting close,” on reaching a deal during the company’s first quarter earnings call.

AFA said that the deal provides industry-leading compensation as well as retroactive pay. And the agreement could result in a financial gain of 40% for the flight attendants in the contract’s first year.

Union leaders are expected to meet in the next week to go over the exact terms of the agreement, which is said to also include a signing bonus and “improved quality of life.” The AFA has called the deal “historic” in nature.

Ken Diaz, the President of AFA’s United Chapter, released a video for union members, noting the upcoming review.

“Now that negotiations have concluded, United Master Executive Council will meet next Thursday and Friday to review the tentative agreement,” Diaz said.


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