Flight dispatcher vs in-flight crew member

The differences between flight dispatchers and in-flight crew members can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a flight dispatcher has an average salary of $41,736, which is higher than the $32,734 average annual salary of an in-flight crew member.

The top three skills for a flight dispatcher include FAA, crew scheduling and air traffic control. The most important skills for an in-flight crew member are safety procedures, UAS, and customer service.

Flight dispatcher vs in-flight crew member overview

	Flight Dispatcher	In-Flight Crew Member
Yearly salary	$41,736	$32,734
Hourly rate	$20.07	$15.74
Growth rate	21%	21%
Number of jobs	8,168	73,346
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Flight dispatcher vs in-flight crew member salary

Flight dispatchers and in-flight crew members have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Flight Dispatcher	In-Flight Crew Member
Average salary	$41,736	$32,734
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $69,000	Between $22,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between flight dispatcher and in-flight crew member education

There are a few differences between a flight dispatcher and an in-flight crew member in terms of educational background:

	Flight Dispatcher	In-Flight Crew Member
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Aviation	Business
Most common college	SUNY Farmingdale	SUNY Farmingdale

Flight dispatcher vs in-flight crew member demographics

Here are the differences between flight dispatchers' and in-flight crew members' demographics:

	Flight Dispatcher	In-Flight Crew Member
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	29%	29%

Differences between flight dispatcher and in-flight crew member duties and responsibilities

Flight dispatcher example responsibilities.

Schedule flight crews for assignments, mange corporate aircraft fleet, manage charter customer base, manage record keeping for FAA requirements
Originate and disseminate flight information to others in the company including stations and reservations.
Assist physically challenge passengers as appropriate; provide life-saving assistance to ill or incapacitate passengers, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation if require.

In-flight crew member example responsibilities.

Manage food preparation, maintain cleanliness and punctuality while effectively support customers in daily transactions with suggestive selling methods.
Receive certification for basic first aid, minor medical emergencies of passengers, and emergency CPR and its yearly re-certification training.
Ensure appropriate treatment of VIP passengers.
Operate the grills, fryers, egg-cooking equipment, industrial toaster and microwave; assemble sandwiches; and re-stock area supplies.
Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills and fryers and communicate clearly and positively with co-workers and management.
Assist physically challenge passengers as appropriate; provide life-saving assistance to ill or incapacitate passengers, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation if require.

Flight dispatcher vs in-flight crew member skills

Common flight dispatcher skills

FAA, 22%
Crew Scheduling, 11%
Air Traffic Control, 6%
NOTAMs, 5%
Federal Regulations, 5%
Governmental Regulations, 5%

Common in-flight crew member skills

Safety Procedures, 31%
UAS, 13%
Customer Service, 12%
Flight Operations, 7%
Emergency Procedures, 6%
Front Desk, 3%

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Flight Dispatcher
Flight Dispatcher vs In-Flight Crew Member

Updated January 8, 2025

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