The Delta Flight Attendant Hiring Process 2023 In A Way That Is Easy To Understand

The Delta flight attendant hiring process has changed in 2022 by adding a VJT and that still stands in 2023, but more about that in a bit.

By the end of 2022 Delta had a total of 4500 new flight attendants and in 2023 they don’t appear to be slowing down their momentum. 

Being a flight attendant isn’t like any other job, and there are strict qualifications that must be met otherwise you will not even be considered for the position.

The Ideal Delta Flight Attendant Candidate

Delta Flight Attendant Minimum Qualifications:

• -Eligibility to work in the U.S.
• -Be at least 21 years of age (by August 2022 for this hiring round)
• -Have a high school diploma or GED
• -Ability to speak, read, write, and understand English fluently
• -Ability to acquire and keep current a passport and travel documents to freely enter and exit places where Delta flies. Must have a valid passport with a minimum of 28 months validity remaining before the first day of training.  
• -Additionally, non-US passport holders must be able to produce documents demonstrating their ability to exit and enter the United States without restriction
• -Complete a pre-employment Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test, and comprehensive background check, including a government-required fingerprint-based criminal history record check
• -This is a physically demanding role that requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, reaching, and lifting (i.e., pushing/pulling beverage or food carts and lifting and opening emergency aircraft doors)
• -Ability to sit in an assigned jump seat with seatbelt and shoulder harness fastened
• -Ability to open emergency exits and close aircraft doors weighing up to 60 pounds and use of a food/beverage cart requiring 32lbs of force when pushing or pulling
• -Ability to retrieve and store items in the overhead bins which can be as high as 74″ from the floor
• -Willingness to accept an assignment to any Flight Attendant base after graduation from training, as decided by the needs of the operation
• -Flexibility to relocate or commute (i.e. standby travel) to and from your assigned base location and ability to fly both International and Domestic routes
• -Must be willing to change and adapt to meet the demands of the job, including dealing with scheduling changes on short-notice
• -Where permitted by applicable law, must have received or will receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the date of hire to be considered for a U.S.-based job

Delta Flight Attendant Preferred Qualifications

Delta also states the “preferred qualifications” on their website. Don’t count yourself out as a future Delta Flight Attendant if you don’t have the preferred qualifications, but if you do have them, it will give you a competitive edge.

• -1 or more years of experience in jobs with responsibilities similar to those of a flight attendant
• -Completion of a degree beyond high school or GED preferred

Once you’ve met the Delta flight attendant qualifications, it’s time to apply.

Delta Flight Attendant Application Process

The first step in the Delta flight attendant hiring process is to apply when they are hiring flight attendants!

Only one application can be submitted per candidate and don’t apply more than once by using different emails. You may think they won’t know, but they know and it will ruin your chances of getting an interview.

Be careful before submitting your answers, because once you submit them, they cannot be undone and your answers cannot be changed, ever.

The Delta flight attendant hiring process can be tricky because there are so many steps, and each one has to be perfect in order to proceed.

When you apply, that is also the time to upload your resume if you haven’t done it ahead of time. A new resume is something that you can always go back in and add.

A good flight attendant resume is what will get you to the next step of the application process. As all the airlines do, Delta uses an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan resumes for specific keywords.

If your resume is not keyworded correctly, you will get a message that you have not been selected to proceed.

Need a professional resume? Check out Future Flight Attendant’s Resume Service.

Delta Talent Assessment

“The Flight Attendant opportunity requires a Talent Assessment to help candidates understand their strengths in the workplace. Candidates must complete and pass the assessment to continue through the interview process.”

The Delta Talent Assessment measures a candidate’s ability to solve problems, adapt to different situations, and assess if they are the type of flight attendant candidate that Delta Air Lines is looking for.

The talent assessment is what trips up a lot of flight attendant candidates during the Delta flight attendant hiring process.

Now, in 2022 Delta has added a virtual job tryout to the mix.

Not only do screening candidates by their resumes, but completing the assessments also allows airlines to pre-screen candidates so that they don’t have to waste time or money on applicants that are not the right fit for the position.

Learn how to pass the Delta Talent Assessment with the Flight Attendant School Course and Coaching Program. My students have had great success passing the assessments by using what they learned in the Future Flight Attendant Online Course.

 There is an entire lesson devoted to teaching you how to successfully navigate the assessments.

Delta Virtual Job Tryout

The VJT or Virtual Job Tryout is for Delta flight attendant applicants that passed the talent assessment. This portion of the application process is to see if the applicants have the skills needed to be Delta flight attendants.

The exercises in the virtual job tryout simulate actual circumstances you would encounter on the job as a flight attendant. What better way to see if a candidate has what it takes than to simulate an on-the-job situation?

Each step of the Delta application and hiring process is to weed out applicants throughout the Delta flight attendant application process. It can take many times to master the process and move on to the next step.

Delta Live Online Interview

Once you pass the two Delta Air Lines flight attendant job assessments, you will be invited to a Delta live online interview, conducted by Hirevue Live.

Hirevue also conducts prerecorded interviews, but the Delta live online interview, its is not prerecorded. The interview is a live interview, like a Zoom call.

Be sure to have a quiet area with no distractions, and log in early so that you can test your equipment and be ready for the interview.

Need help practicing the STAR Method? Check out Future Flight Attendant’s Interview Study Guide it has over 100 interview questions, and lots of advice on how to answer them.

Event Day

Once you’ve successfully completed your live online interview, if you are selected to move forward you will receive an invite to Event Day!

Event Day is basically a fancy name for the face-to-face (F2F) interview.

Event Day is an interview day that is hosted by Delta flight attendants and the talent team. There are multiple interviews, Q&A, and an introduction to Delta at Delta’s World Headquarters, in Atlanta Georgia.

The entire day is an interview, and it’s a really exciting part of the flight attendant interview process.

Job Offer

If you pass the Event Day interviews, you will be offered a job as a Delta Flight Attendant as long as you pass initial training. The flight attendant job is never guaranteed until you pass, the drug testing, background check, and initial flight attendant training.

Delta Air Lines Flight Attendant FAQs

I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions for the Delta flight attendant hiring process.

Is It Hard To Get Hired At Delta?

If I don’t get selected to move on to the next step in the hiring process, when am I eligible to reapply? That is the most frequently asked question I get about the delta flight attendant interview process.

Flight attendant applicants are eligible to reapply after three months. – It does however need to be a different reference number.

What is a reference number?

A reference number is a number attached to the job listing. The reference (or requisition number as it’s sometimes called) will look like this:

30 AUG 2021 REF# 9238

It has the date the job was listed, the month, the year, REF#, and then the reference number.

The most recent reference number is: 30 NOV 2022 REF# 18582

These are actual Delta Flight Attendant Job reference numbers so that you can keep track of when you can apply.

For example, let’s say you applied on the first of September of 2021, and 30 AUG 2021 REF# 9238 was attached to the application. Then, you received the dreaded thanks but no thanks email after the talent assessment.

March 2022 rolls along, and it’s been three months since your TBNT (thanks but no thanks) email from Delta. Then, you look at the REF# on the application and it is still “REF#9238”!

Because Delta’s flight attendant application is not attached to a new reference number, you still are not eligible to apply even though three months have already passed.

How Long Is Delta Flight Attendant Training?

Delta flight attendant training is six weeks long at Delta World Headquarters in Atlanta Georgia. Prospective flight attendants do double up and have a roommate in training.

You May Also Like: What To Pack For Flight Attendant Training + Free Packing List

Is Delta Flight Attendant Training Paid?

Yes, Delta flight attendant training is paid, however, it is minimum wage, and therefore it is taxed.

It’s nice to be paid something to go to training because most people have bills and obligations, especially in this current economic climate.

Will I Have A Hotel & Roommate At Delta Flight Attendant Training?

Yes, you will have a roommate at Delta flight attendant training.

Delta Initial Training Flight Attendant Hotel Accommodation Policy:
Hotel accommodations are provided for those whose address is greater than 25 miles from the Delta Training Center. Students are not required to stay in the hotel accommodations provided by Delta and some applicants make their own accommodations.

It’s so much easier to stay at the hotel for training because you can stay in the training environment and not be distracted by anything happening at home.

What is Delta’s Tattoo Policy For Flight Attendants?

Delta has a no visible tattoo policy.

For more in-depth information on airline tattoo policies, you may also like Can Flight Attendants Have Tattoos? The Answer May Surprise You

How long is the Delta hiring process?

The Delta hiring process can vary, but it does move quicker than the Southwest, United, or American Airlines flight attendant hiring process. I’m not sure what system they use but Delta has a more streamlined approach to the hiring process.

It does appear that since they added the VJT (Virtual Job Tryout) and the hiring process has started moving even faster. That makes sense too because the more people they can quickly weed out of the process, the faster they can move.

How much do first-year Delta flight attendants make?

It depends on how many hours they are able to work. First-year Delta flight attendants make $30.96 an hour. Pay doesn’t work the same for flight attendants as it does for every other job.

You may also like: Poverty Or Riches – How Much Do Delta Flight Attendants Make 2022?

Are Delta flight attendants paid for boarding?

Delta flight attendants are paid 50% of their hourly rate for boarding as of June 2, 2022.

• On domestic narrow-body flights, flight attendants receive 40 minutes of boarding pay at 50% of the individual flight attendant’s hourly rate.

• On domestic wide-body flights, flight attendants receive 45 minutes of boarding
• pay at 50% of the individual flight attendant’s hourly rate.

• On international flights, flight attendants receive 50 minutes of boarding pay paid at 50% of the individual flight attendant’s hourly rate.

Not bad for an airline that doesn’t have a union, right?

Can Delta flight attendants live anywhere?

Technically, yes, but keep in mind that Delta flight attendants have to be in position for their scheduled assignments (ADAYS & Trips) and commuting can be tricky during busy travel months.

You may also like: The Commuting Flight Attendant & The Fascinating Way We Get To Work

Delta Flight Attendant Interview Attire

Delta advises candidates to wear clean, pressed, and professional clothing for the flight attendant interview.

Professional dress is always best. You can’t go wrong with a suit for all genders, and women can wear a “statement dress”. Future Flight Attendant has an Amazon Storefront filled with interview outfits that you can buy directly from Amazon, or use to get interview outfit inspirations.

Amazon even has a “Try Before You Buy” feature for Prime Members. You can try most of the items in the Future Flight Attendant store before you buy.

You can try up to six items and send back what you don’t want (within seven days) and keep what you want. It’s the perfect way to take your Delta flight attendant interview outfit for a test drive.

What Are The Delta Flight Attendant Bases?

• ATL (Atlanta, GA)
• BOS (Boston, MA)
• CVG – (Cincinatti, OH)
• DTW (Detroit, MI)
• FLL/MIA – (Fort Lauderdale/Miami, FL)
• HNL (Honolulu, HI) 
• LAX (Los Angeles, CA)
• MSP (Minneapolis, MN)
• MCO (Orlando, FL)
• JFK/LGA (New York, NY)
• PDX (Portland, OR)
• SLC (Salt Lake City, UT)
• SEA (Seattle, WA)
• SFO (San Francisco, CA)

Does Delta require flight attendants to be vaccinated against COVID-19?

Yes, Delta does require flight attendants to get the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Delta allows requests for exemption from the policy through a formal review process with Delta’s Accommodations team. 

Wondering if Delta is hiring flight attendants right now? Check out the Future Flight Attendant Job Board and find out.

So there you have it, the entire updated Delta Air Lines flight attendant hiring process. Have you gone through the new process? Let me know in the comments I’d love to hear from you.