Compare / DL vs UA
Delta Air Lines vs United Airlines
Two very different offers for the same job. Here is what actually separates Delta Air Lines and United Airlines for cabin crew — pay, roster, rules and who each one suits.
Delta Air Lines
DL · Atlanta
8.0
crew score
United Airlines
UA · Chicago
7.9
crew score
Choose Delta Air Lines if…
- The two are closely matched on the measures we track.
Choose United Airlines if…
- ✓Visible tattoos may be accepted — a hard stop at the other airline
- ✓Bigger network: ~350 destinations vs ~290
Side by side
| Delta Air Lines | United Airlines | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry pay / month | $2,600-$3,400 | $2,600-$3,400 |
| Senior pay / month | $5,500-$7,500 | $5,500-$7,800 |
| Tax-free | No | No |
| Housing | Not provided | Not provided |
| Base | Atlanta | Chicago |
| Type | Full-service | Full-service |
| Fleet | ~990 | ~1000 |
| Destinations | ~290 | ~350 |
| Alliance | SkyTeam | Star Alliance |
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| Reach / height | — | — |
| Visible tattoos | Not allowed | Some allowed |
| Language beyond English | None required | None required |
Crew scores compared
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines
Apply
Delta Air Lines
Accepting applications for upcoming 2026–2027 classes, including bilingual LOD roles; expect long portal wait times and a sub-1% offer rate.
United Airlines
Large training classes running after the May 2026 contract ratification; language-of-destination roles and Guam-base positions appear regularly.
Still torn? Let the data decide.
Tax-free money or home every night? Fast promotion or a calm roster? Seven questions, ranked against pay, lifestyle, career and hiring data.
Frequently asked questions
Does Delta Air Lines or United Airlines pay cabin crew more?
Entry-level pay is broadly comparable. The deciding factors are tax status, housing and roster rather than the headline salary.
Which is easier to get into, Delta Air Lines or United Airlines?
Delta Air Lines is actively hiring (Accepting applications for upcoming 2026–2027 classes, including bilingual LOD roles; expect long portal wait times and a sub-1% offer rate.) while United Airlines is actively hiring (Large training classes running after the May 2026 contract ratification; language-of-destination roles and Guam-base positions appear regularly.) Requirements differ too — check both requirement pages before deciding where to spend your effort.
Delta Air Lines or United Airlines — which is better for a first cabin crew job?
Delta Air Lines scores higher overall in our index (8.0 vs 7.9), but "better" depends on what you want: money, roster, promotion speed or where you live. The reasons listed above split it by priority.