American Airlines (AA) is the world’s largest airline, flying to over 360 destinations across 61 countries, and stationed in all major cities across the US. If you are interested in working for AA, you’ll need to gain a thorough understanding of the American Airlines hiring process and learn about the AA careers currently available.
We’ve compiled the following guide to show you how to get a job at American Airlines because, in addition to its reputation as one of the best places to work, the airline offers impressive wages and benefits. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about what it’s like to work at American Airlines and the steps you need to take to successfully land a role with this company.
American Airlines: Company Background
American Airlines (AA) began its operations in 1930 when two pioneer aircraft organizations, Robertson Aircraft Corporation and Colonial Air Transport, merged to become one corporation headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
AA is the largest global airline in terms of fleet size, revenue, flights, and passengers carried per day. Today, the airline transports over 500,000 people daily to 365 destinations in 61 countries. It has hubs located across all major cities in the United States, and the largest maintenance and repair operation in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
By the end of 2021, American Airlines had 123,400 employees in different sections of the company, and at the time of publication, it had close to 200 job openings in departments such as customer service, cabin crew, operations, maintenance, and grounds crew.
How Hard Is the American Airlines Hiring Process?
The American Airlines hiring process can be quite extensive and last between three to five weeks, but it is straightforward. The good news is that AA career opportunities are plentiful. CNBC reported that AA hired more than 16,000 employees in 2021, and planned over 18,000 hires for 2022. This means that there is a good chance you will be able to work at American Airlines if you are a qualified candidate and take the time to craft a strong application.
How to Apply for a Job at American Airlines
To apply for a job at American Airlines, begin by signing up for an account on the official website. Job seekers must open the job page area of the website, create a personal account and a candidate’s profile, upload all the necessary documents, and then save. This process can take 15 to 30 minutes to complete.
Once finished, applicants should navigate to the American Airlines career page and find the job they want to apply for, read the job description and requirements, and then apply. Applicants will then be redirected to the profile they just created and asked to complete any missing fields before submitting the online application.
American Airlines Application Process: Step-by-Step
- Job Application. To get a job at AA, interested parties must apply through the official website. Typical forms requested are a resume, cover letter, and completed application form, alongside specifically requested items per the particular job being applied for.
- The American Airlines Assessment. Once you submit an application, you will be contacted for the American Airlines assessment test. This process includes both a personality and a situational judgment test to evaluate your suitability for the role. American Airlines pilots also must take a pilot test in addition to the cognitive and personality tests.
- Interviews. If you succeed, you will then move on to interviews. First, there is a virtual group interview where candidates may be required to complete tasks collaboratively. Successful candidates will then move on to the in-person interview process.
- Training. Almost all AA jobs have an intensive, hands-on training process that takes place in a fast-paced environment. This can take approximately six weeks depending on the field. For example, American Airlines flight attendants undergo a six-week rigorous training with all materials provided.
- Acceptance. Upon successful completion of the airline training, applicants are presented with an acceptance letter. The letter includes terms of employment, salary, and benefits.
American Airlines Interview Questions
American Airlines’ interview questions are similar to those asked in most interviews. They are designed to test your problem-solving skills, your ability to work effectively as part of a team, and your disposition towards customers, even when things turn problematic. Below are some common questions you may be asked during the interview process.
- Tell us about yourself. Job seekers should detail their career journey, and why they chose to apply at AA in a way that showcases their strengths, skills, and affinity for teamwork.
- Describe a time you faced a difficult situation and how you overcame it. This question tests critical thinking and problem-solving abilities and shows how well an applicant can deal with a crisis.
- What is important to you in an organization? The interviewer wants to understand whether the candidate would be a good fit for the company culture.
- How would you deal with an angry customer? Maturity, calmness, problem-solving acumen, and tact are tested here. Applicants should let their answers reflect this.
- If you and several customers are faced with danger, how would you handle such a situation to ensure everyone’s safety? Previous questions had to do with the job seeker’s character, but here, the interviewers are testing problem-solving and critical-thinking ability, people skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
What’s It Like to Work at American Airlines?
Working for American Airlines has perks and drawbacks just like any other workplace. The best part is that employees are thoroughly trained and supported to be good at their jobs. Below we explore some of the areas that employees at this company experience during their employment. This will give you a sense of what it’s like to work at American Airlines.
Work Environment
The most exciting thing about working for AA is the chance to meet and work with people from different places and backgrounds. The American Airlines diversity, equity, and inclusion policy creates an inclusive company culture to work with and learn about coworkers from all races, genders, and sexual orientations.
Growth
There is an amazing opportunity for growth and promotion at AA. Once employees advance past the probation stage and work for a year or two, they can work their way up the ranks through continuing education and by demonstrating a strong work ethic.
Competitive Pay
According to PayScale, the average salary for American Airlines employees is $78,000 per year. Flight attendants make an average of $44,461, with the potential of earning up to $80,000. The top earners in this organization are airline captains, who earn $213,133 on average.
Company Benefits
One of the main company benefits offered by AA is the option to travel around the world at steeply discounted prices. As is the case with many other companies that hire flight attendants, these professionals get to travel to different parts of the globe free of charge. See below to learn about additional benefits offered by AA.
- Travel perks. AA employees get travel privileges for themselves and their immediate families across the American global network.
- Health benefits. Employees receive health benefits including medical, prescription, dental, and vision benefits beginning from the date of their official hire.
- 401(k) program. The 401(k) retirement program is available for most workers, depending on the workgroup.
- Education. The company has set up programs and online learning platforms to support its employees in their career growth.
- Education funding for dependents. Dependents of employees are eligible to apply for educational grants and scholarships.
Employment at American Airlines: AA Careers and Descriptions
You can secure employment at American Airlines in over 30 departments, from San Francisco to Washington DC, each with a wide range of career opportunities. If you would like to join the company on the technical side, below are 10 AA career opportunities we recommend based on pay and potential for growth, and a job description and minimum qualifications needed for each.
Developer/Senior Developer, IT Applications
- Salary: $144,907
- Benefits: Travel perks, 401(k), health benefits, wellness programs
- Required Experience: 3 years of Software Development Life Cycle experience, 3 years of professional, design, and open-source experience
- Required Education: Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or Engineering
A senior developer leverages technology to solve business problems at AA. They participate in all development process phases, using specific development tools to identify, analyze, design, and solve issues.
Engineer/Senior Engineer, IT Infrastructure
- Salary: $143,598
- Benefits: Travel perks, 401(k), health benefits, wellness programs
- Required Experience: 3+ years of airline industry experience and demonstrated leadership skills
- Required Education: Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Technology Information Systems (CIS/MIS), or Engineering
As a member of the IT division, engineers with this job title are responsible for traditional and cloud-based infrastructure implementation. The American Airlines engineer salary is quite competitive, and ranges from $118,000 to $177,000 per year.
Project Manager/Senior Project Manager, IT
- Salary: $156,414
- Benefits: Travel perks, 401(k), health benefits, wellness programs
- Required Experience: 3 years of broad-based information systems and business experience, 3+ years of experience managing and delivering mission-critical, high-availability IT development projects
- Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Technology, or Information Systems (CIS/MIS)
A project manager oversees all aspects of multiple fast-paced projects among teams, designs project visions and standards, and manages the project scope. An American Airlines project manager’s salary ranges from $129,000 to $193,000, according to Glassdoor.
Analyst, Contact Center – Continuous Improvement
- Salary: $92,297
- Benefits: 401(k), health insurance, employee travel discount
- Required Experience: 3 years of experience in industrial engineering, public contact, marketing, sales, or operations, and experience working and presenting to senior management.
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, basic airline operations knowledge
This job of a systems analyst is at the center of all customer experience initiatives. This professional is responsible for supporting contact center leadership and operations to improve the customer journey.
Senior Analyst, Regional Strategy and Business Planning
- Salary: $116,736
- Benefits: Travel perks, health benefits, wellness programs, 401(k)
- Required Experience: 3+ years of commercial or operational experience, advanced experience with PowerPoint and Excel
- Required Education: Undergraduate degree in aviation, economics, business, or finance
This position falls under the network strategy umbrella. The role involves data analysis to provide support and guidance for various business initiatives. The holder works with multiple dockets to make decisions that improve the airline’s performance.
Plant Maintenance Mechanic
- Salary: $59,575
- Benefits: Travel perks, health benefits, wellness programs
- Required Experience: 3+ years experience as a stationary engineer
- Required Education: A valid FAA Airframe/Powerplant mechanics license or a valid EASA license
The work of a plant maintenance mechanic includes repair, maintenance, and troubleshooting of all mechanical systems within the airport and ensuring all emergency equipment is ready. This is a key supporting role where professionals help provide a safe experience for customers and staff.
Associate Analyst/IT Operations Help Desk
- Salary: $62,741
- Benefits: Travel perks, health benefits, wellness programs, 401(k)
- Required Experience: 2 years of help desk and customer experience, 2 years of troubleshooting experience
- Required Education: Technical degree, Apple Certification, A+ Certification
The associate analyst is a member of the IT team who’s responsible for troubleshooting first-level problems via telephone for any hardware and software in the company.
Coordinator, Customer Experience Product Support
- Salary: $49,256
- Benefits: Health insurance, 401(k), wellness programs, flight benefits
- Required Experience: 3 years of airline service work experience supporting business solutions and doing analytical work
- Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Technology, Aviation Management, Communication, Operations, or a related field
The position supports product teams and applications. Ideal candidates will identify project impact, source and groom data, track OKRs and draw meaningful conclusions from the analysis. These professionals need excellent communication skills.
Specialist, Flight Operations Technician
- Salary: $71,158
- Benefits: Travel perks, health benefits, 401(k) program, and more
- Required Experience: 3 years of flight operations experience, 3 years of experience with aviation safety standards and safe operating practices
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
These professionals are flight team members responsible for developing, executing, and maintaining quality assurance programs to support flight operations. Their duties include ensuring regulatory compliance, audits, new station starts, and safety risk-management processes.
Cabin Service Person
- Salary: $38,291
- Benefits: 401(k), health insurance, employee travel discount
- Required Experience: 1+ years of service work experience, valid driver’s license, and basic computer and arithmetic abilities
- Required Education: High school diploma/GED
Cabin services employees are responsible for cabin cleaning, picking up trash from passenger points, stocking the planes with supplies, and generally ensuring the environment is properly sanitized. This entry-level position comes with full benefits and travel perks.
What Does It Take to Work at American Airlines?
To work at American Airlines, you need to be a team player, have strong communication and interpersonal skills, and be able to keep your cool during high-stress situations. To successfully land a role at this company, your best bet is to understand the American Airlines hiring process, craft an application that showcases your skills, and demonstrate an affinity for its business model and company culture.
While its employees often work overtime due to flight delays and other unavoidable circumstances, the overall work environment is good, and the company provides perks and benefits that make working at American Airlines an excellent option.
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How to Get a Job at American Airlines FAQ
To work for American Airlines, you need to be a US citizen or have a valid passport and a US work visa and maintain a legal right to fly to and from other countries. You must also have a high school diploma or GED, at least two years of postsecondary education, and prior work experience.
Yes, AA provides in-house training for many of its jobs. While the training is unpaid, the airline provides trainees with accommodation and three meals a day as they work through the program.
Yes, American Airlines pays well. The average annual salary at American Airlines is $78,000, but you can earn much more depending on your role, level of experience, and time spent working for the company.
Yes, it is hard to work for AA. The airline has a fast-paced working environment with high expectations, strict bosses, and very close supervision. Employees need to always stay on their toes to ensure customers come and go smoothly, and this sometimes means working overtime.
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