Travelling for a Living: The Perks of Being a Flight Attendant

Some of us can only imagine what it’s like travelling for a living — I’m one of those people (yes, even if I do happen to be a travel writer!). This being said, I find it pretty amazing that there are people out there who actually get to live out this dream.

Confession: I never realised just how cool of a job it was to be a flight attendant until one of my best friends entered the airline industry. One moment, we’re having lunch; not even 24 hours after that, she’s off exploring a new city in a whole other time zone. A few days later, she shows up at our morning spin class at the gym — sometimes even just a few hours after landing back in Manila, before she’s even gotten a wink of sleep!

Also read: Here’s What the Life of a Flight Attendant is Really Like

On top of that, I am also a happy recipient of countless pretty postcards, pasalubong, and my online purchases from international stores — minus the costly shipping fees. (Yup, I’m that friend. If you’re reading this, BFF, know that I’m eternally grateful!) Simply living vicariously through her travels is already exciting; but imagine how much more amazing it is to experience travelling for a living yourself!

Truthfully, being a flight attendant isn’t a job that just anyone can handle. It’s meant for a strong set who can handle working on weekends and holidays, being away from loved ones, and dealing with all sorts of people — and always with a smile, at that! When they’re in between flights, though, one thing’s for sure: They’re rewarded with much of the beautiful sights and experiences the world has to offer.

I had the pleasure of chatting with several Filipina flight attendants, who were more than happy to let us in on what it’s like travelling for a living. Keep reading for some insights, tips, and a taste of what it’s like to be one of the world’s most seasoned wanderers!

Also read: Flight Attendants Reveal Their Ultimate Beauty Secrets

Ysa Fonacier

What do you love most about being a flight attendant?

Travelling for free! (So cliche, but it really is the best part.)

What led you to pursue this job?

I wanted a job that paid you to travel. And since I’ve always liked airports, the feel of stepping inside a plane, aeroplane food, and travelling — it was perfect for me. Plus, it’s a nice job for people who get bored doing the same thing everyday, since you get to work in different environments and work with and meet new people all the time. 

What are some of the perks of travelling for a living?

1. Discounts for tickets (at the airline I work for, as well as partner airlines)

2. Discounts at hotels and airports

3. Grocery shopping abroad and being able to compare prices from around the world, so you know where things are sold for cheap 

4. No need to pay expensive shipping fees for international orders

5. No take-home work, so you can do whatever you want on your days off

6. Best of all, getting the chance to choose where to fly once a month!

What are some of the places that work has taken you?

London, Scotland, and different parts of England like Bath, The Cotswolds, and Stratford-Upon-Avon. Hobbiton in New Zealand, the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Out of all the places you’ve visited, what are your top three favourites?

1. London, because it’s so easy to take day trips to other parts of England via train. You also get the best views of the English countryside.

2. New York — it’s beautiful and so rich in culture despite its busy streets and huge crowds.

3. Auckland, because it’s so peaceful, with the endless rolling hills and forests. Plus, there really are more sheep than humans there! 

Where else do you hope your job will take you in the future?

Africa! And more Europe flights to places like Paris, Italy, and Germany.

What are the most valuable lessons that travelling for a living has taught you?

Travelling for a living has taught me the importance of independence, cultural awareness, and being able to adapt to different people and places. Most of all, respect and be kind to everyone. No exceptions.  

What are some tried-and-true travel tips you can share?

1. Always bring an eco-bag with you

2. Try travelling alone at least once in your life. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

3. Research on your destination’s hidden gems and best-kept secrets

4. Always bring your passport — some places don’t accept regular IDs!

Kim Ngui

What’s your favourite thing about being a flight attendant?

Well, aside from the usual and obvious “getting to travel to different places for free” answer, it’s also as simple as hearing the words “thank you” from people everyday. The random acts of gratitude and smiles we receive from passengers throughout the flight are truly fulfilling; they keep me going. I honestly never thought the service industry would be for me but hey, it’s been four years and I’m still here! 

What led you to pursue this particular career?

I got my major in Travel Management back in college, so that’s basically the most common path to take!

What are some of the benefits of being a flight attendant?

1. Free flights for personal use and for my family

2. A flexible work schedule (which we can manipulate by switching with other flight attendants)

3. A few discounts here and there

4. An instant staycation during layovers

5. Exposure to different places and people from all over the world

6. Most especially, earning money while travelling! 

What are some of the places your job has taken you?

The airline I work for flies to places all around the Philippines, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East! 

What are your top favourite travel destinations?

Sydney, Australia would easily be my top one because I’m a sucker for the city life. They have beautiful beaches nearby and the weather’s always perfect for walking around (which I never get to do in the Philippines)! Seoul, Korea, and Tokyo, Japan too! I just love good food and — well — shopping! 

Where do you hope work will take you next?

Hopefully our airline could branch out and fly to the US and Europe soon! 

What is the most valuable lesson that travelling for a living has taught you?

Definitely respect! Respect other people’s culture, principles, and way of living. 

As someone who travels for a living, what are some tips you can share?

1. Always bring cash with you! Not all stores accept card transactions.

2. Remember to bring recyclable bags when shopping. It will be easier for you to carry your purchases, it helps the environment, and it will cost you less since most shops now usually charge for plastic bags!

3. Download Google Maps or the like on your smartphone, too. This can help you save time and confusion when riding the metro and buses (Uber and cabs are extra expensive abroad). 

4. Always do some quick research about the place or country prior to your trip!

Betina Libre

What’s your favourite thing about being a flight attendant?

Aside from travelling, which most pilots and flight attendants will say (honestly, you never run out of places to explore), my favourite thing about being a flight attendant is appreciating the current moment that I’m in. Every time I fly, we have a different set of crew each time, so we’ll never know if we’ll ever cross paths again. 

What led you to pursue this job?

It was unexpected, actually. My mum used to be a flight attendant and my dad was getting his flying hours for a bit, so growing up, I was exposed to the aviation industry at a young age. Prior to being a flight attendant, I was in the events management industry. I wanted a change in scenery, so it led me here. 

What are some of the perks of travelling for a living?

1. Being able to hop on a plane last minute (travelling for us depends on the loading of the flight, depending on if there are vacant seats!).

2. Enjoying our days off completely — when a flight is done, the flight is done. No need to think about work and to fully rest and enjoy our days off. Some of us even fix our schedules so that we can travel on days off.

3. You meet interesting people! I’ve had so many instances where I came across inspiring people. There was even a time when I asked about the book my seat mate was reading on a 14 hour flight to LA, and we got along perfectly! You get to listen to their stories and learn from them, too.

4. Oh, the places you’ll go! You’ll be surprised with the places you’ve been to in a span of one year. One moment you could be bundled up in the Swiss Alps, the next moment you could be sitting by the pool beating the heat — all in one year.

What are some of the places that work has taken you?

Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, New York, Frankfurt, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Tel Aviv.

Which destinations are your favourites?

1. Bali, Indonesia – We don’t have layovers there, but I’ve been to Bali a couple of times. I love being next to the water, so it’s always fun going there for water sports (surfing especially)! If water sports aren’t your thing, the food and café scene is endless, so it’s a spot to just relax and enjoy the place.

2. Paris, France – There are two types of people. The ones who hate Paris and the ones who love it. I belong to the latter group. A bit of trivia: one of my first trips alone was to Paris. The moment I landed, I realised that I was completely on my own. Every move, every step, it was up to me. If I didn’t make a decision, nothing would ever happen. I love Paris because I find the city romantic. Long walks along the Seine River, having coffee at a French café, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle every night — it’s a whole experience. Whenever I’m in Paris, I’m inspired to write. 

3. Rome, Italy – I first went to Rome on a family vacation. Aside from getting me too excited about the idea of having pizza and gelato almost every day, the city is absolutely gorgeous! It has so much history and makes you wonder how it came to be. 

Where do you hope your job will take you next?

Cape Town, South Africa; Christchurch, New Zealand; Hawaii (Surfing, anyone?).

What are the most valuable things that travelling for a living has taught you?

One would be — learning to be flexible. I love the feeling when everything goes according to plan, but most of the time, life doesn’t happen that way. As much as I like being in control of the situations I’m in, I’m learning to become flexible and deal with situations as they arise. You can say it helps to let go.

Another one would be “Don’t take things personally and treat everyone with respect.” With my line of work and my company, we’re comprised of different nationalities. Meaning we have different cultures, upbringing, values and morals. Work is work. We’re all different, and at the end of the day, the most important thing is to respect one another. 

Can you share some helpful tips you’ve picked up along the way?

1. Do your research! Before travelling to a place, search up on the places you want to check out so that when you get to the destination, you have an idea on where to go. You don’t necessarily have to have an itinerary, but it would save you some time if you know where you want to go already.

2. Keep an eye out for deals. Some museums and attractions have certain promos when you book in advance, so it’s worth buying ahead of time. It also saves you time instead of waiting in line.

3. Try to pack light. I say ‘try’ because I still struggle doing this, but it helps especially if you’re travelling alone because you’ll be lugging around the bags on your own! Maybe ‘plan your outfits’ would be a better tip!

4. Invest in a pocket Wi-Fi. This helps me so much, especially in terms of navigation. I’m always cautious about bringing out a map in public because it screams out “I’m a tourist!” It’s the last thing you’d want, so you wouldn’t be a target for thieves.

5. Be open to new experiences and take tons of photos. Even if I’ve been to a destination before, I still document my travels. It’s always fun looking back when you come across your old photos. You get to witness how far you’ve come. Each experience is different, you grow as an individual every single time.  

6. Have fun. Most important tip! It’s what travelling is all about — enjoying yourself and enjoying your time travelling. 

Veronica Javier

What’s your favourite thing about travelling for a living?

I love that I get to see places I’ve never even dreamt about visiting. It’s also given me the opportunity to learn more about different cultures.

What lead you to pursue this job?

It was just something I wanted to try out because it seemed like such a unique career. Although it was daunting at first, I learned to love and enjoy it!

What are some of the advantages of being a flight attendant?

1. My family and I can get huge discounts on our tickets when we fly.

2. Every working day is an opportunity to meet new people and hear great stories (whether from fellow cabin crew or passengers).

3. When there’s a layover, you can plan your own tour or meet family and/or friends who are also in the area.

What are some of the places you’ve visited through work?

It has taken me to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, United States, Canada, London, and the Middle East.

What are your top three travel destinations?

Japan, London, England and Vancouver, Canada. These are the places I’m always excited to go to because you can never run out of things to do.

What is the next new destination that you hope your job will take you?

I’d love to see more of Europe someday. I’m sure there’s more beauty out there that I haven’t seen yet!

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on the job?

Travelling has taught me that it costs nothing to be kind and patient with others. You’ll come across people from all sorts of backgrounds and you can never know what they’re going through that day. So, if a smile is what it takes to brighten their day, then just keep doing that.

As someone who travels for a living, what are some tips you can share with us?

1. Always have your toiletries in small bottles and containers when travelling for a few days. It saves you space and you can carry them with you inside the cabin.

2. It helps to have alcohol or sanitiser with you inside the plane. You share the space with a lot of people and germs are bound to go around.

3. Keep a calm and positive attitude — even when it comes to flight delays or getting lost somewhere. Yes, it can be frustrating, but being rude and lashing out on others won’t make the situation any different. So, breathe and trust that things will fall into place.

Isabel Cancio

What’s your favourite thing about being a cabin crew member?

Every day is something new.

What lead you to pursue this particular career?

To be honest, I was lost. I was graduating from nursing school and preparing for the boards, but I was miserable. I started thinking of my future and of what I really wanted to do with my life. And when I saw that my company was having an open day back then, I applied just for the heck of it. I never thought that I’d actually get the job!

What are some of the benefits of travelling for a living?

1. Really huge ticket discounts

2. Being able to change the time and dates for flights free of charge for me and my family

3. Discounts for cruises, restaurants, and more

4. A generous salary

5. Waking up to a new challenge everyday

6. Getting your groceries from different parts of the world

7. Literally having breakfast in one country and then dinner in another

8. Easily being able to visit my family and friends in different parts of the world

It’s definitely something completely different from your 9-5 desk job!

What parts of the world has your job taken you?

Auckland, New Zealand; Perth, Australia; Adelaide, Australia; Milan, Italy; Murano, Italy; London, England; Miami, Florida, USA; LA, California, USA; Johannesburg, South Africa; Zurich, Switzerland

Stockholm, Sweden; Montreal, Canada; Moscow, Russia; Vienna, Austria… To name a few!

What are your top three favourite destinations?

1. Queenstown, New Zealand – Nature, cool tours (glow-worms, volcano, and wine tours amongst others), skydiving, and alpacas!

2. Bangkok, Thailand – Nice people, great food, great massages, and shopping.

3. Singapore – Amazing food and shopping.

Where do you hope to travel next?

Capetown, South Africa; Lisbon, Portugal; Malaga, Spain; Rabat, Morocco; Thessaloniki, Greece

What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned on the job?

Respect different cultures and beliefs. What is normal for you may sound or seem absurd to others and vice versa; but regardless, always show respect.

Keep a positive attitude. This will help you when everything else goes wrong during your travels. If you can condition your mind to always look at the bright side and work on solutions instead of focusing on problems, travelling will be more enjoyable for you.

As someone who travels for a living, what are some tips you can share?

1. Pack light, but also be prepared for anything. (Sometimes Google weather reports lie, and it’s not actually sunny and hot, but super cold!)

2. Try to have a bag or container for the different things you have in your maleta for a more organised and clean look. It will also help you find things faster.

3. Always have emergency cash on hand (either in dollars, euros, or pounds).

4. Make use of public transportation instead of cabs. They cost less.

5. Try not to eat in your hotel. Go out and try the local food. They’ll be cheaper and you might just like it. Better yet, ask a local where they like to eat!

6. Always have pocket Wi-Fi and a power bank with you for times you may get lost and have nobody around you that speaks English.

7. Splurge more on sightseeing, tours, and food instead of five-star hotel bookings.

Abegail Castor

What’s your favourite thing about being a flight attendant?

My favourite thing about my job is definitely the layovers!

What lead you to pursue this particular career?

It was really my childhood dream!

What are some of  the perks of travelling for a living?

There are a lot of perks of being a flight attendant:

1. Travel benefits for you and for your family

2. Being able to travel to different parts of the world for free

3. Meeting and working with different nationalities

4. Learning about cultural differences

5. Good money!

What are some of the places that work has taken you?

South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Which destinations are your favourites?

These are some of my favourite places: South Korea, because of skincare buffet; Thailand, because of pad thai, mango sticky rice, and the night markets; and Indonesia, because of the beaches, and it’s truly a great place for a getaway with friends!

What is the next new destination you hope that your job will take you?

I’m really excited to explore Athens, Germany, Austria, Paris, New York, and the Maldives. 

What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned on the job?

Not everyone can be your friend. Learn to love and take care of yourself! Also, learn how to prioritise things. Time management is a must!

What are some useful tips you’ve learned from travelling for a living?

1. Plan your itinerary before going to a certain country.

2. Research about their culture, food, and ethics, so you won’t experience culture shock!

3. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy and cherish every moment in that country, because not everyone can afford to travel.

Michelle Angeles

What is your favourite thing about being a flight attendant?

My favourite thing about being a flight attendant is getting to know the world through travel. I get to engage with different nationalities, cultures, and cuisines every day.

What lead you to pursue this job?

It was my dream job, my passion. Knowing that every day is a challenge, a new experience — that really excites me. And I never gave up in spite of being 31 years old. Yes, after almost losing hope, I was 31 when I finally became a flight attendant — because I promised myself that I would never give up until I could fly!

What are some of the advantages of being a cabin crew member?

1. Travelling the world for free

2. Getting to stay at luxurious hotels worldwide

3. Discounted tickets for myself and my immediate family

What are some of the places that work has taken you?

Cape Town, South Africa; Entebbe, Uganda; Gothenburg, Sweden; Chongqing, China; Nairobi, Kenya.

What are your top three favourite destinations?

Vietnam (good food!), Madrid (shopping), and Tbilisi, Georgia — my favourite country of all the places I’ve been to. Why? I don’t know, I just love it there! I’ve been there thrice for vacation.

What is the next new destination you hope that your job will take you?

Malta. It’s one of our newest destinations and everyone wants to go there, so it’s very hard to get that flight. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see that beautiful city soon!

What are the most valuable lessons that travelling for a living has taught you?

That everyone is different. Cultural awareness is very important because what’s good for you might not be good for others.

What are some of the most useful travel tips you’ve learned on the job?

1. Know the country you’re going to

2. Check the weather so you know what outfits to bring

3. Download offline maps and translators

4. Hydrate

5. Try the local food

6. Interact with locals

Also read: Best Beauty Products to Buy from Korea, As Recommended by Flight Attendants!

So, how tempted are you to switch careers and start travelling for a living? 

These quotes have been edited for grammar, clarity, and flow.