Should You Tip Flight Attendants? Here’s What the Experts Say

While tipping is currently a hot topic for restaurants and hotels, have you ever wondered whether you should tip the flight attendants during your travel? They certainly serve people food and drinks and help in any way possible, so you have the best flying experience. So, does that mean that flight attendants also need to be tipped just like restaurant servers? Let’s find out!

Do You Need to Tip Flight Attendants?

Experts advise that tipping flight attendants is not really recommended. Sara Nelson, current president of the Flight Attendants Association-CWA, mentioned in an interview that flight attendants’ number one priority is public safety, and one shouldn’t play with tipping higher or lower and potentially biasing people’s protection. The profession has no place for tippings and gratuities. So, it’s better to leave the option for restaurants and not bring it out on flights.

How About Small Gifts or Gestures Instead?

Many airlines discourage flight attendants from accepting customer tips, but what about small gifts or kind gestures? There is surely a loophole in the no-tipping policy because you can present small gifts to flight attendants that they can accept. Giving them gift cards or coupons they can use directly at airports seems like a good idea. Another great gift could be food or snacks, like chocolates or treats that you can easily share with the whole crew, as a sweet gesture on your part. If you are still not sure as to whether these are appropriate gifts, or they are out of your budget, saying ‘thank you’ for their service is sufficient enough too. Your gratitude is what flight attendants appreciate the most, so don’t forget to be kind to them!