How to hire a gate agent

How to hire a gate agent, step by step

Here's a step-by-step gate agent hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a gate agent job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new gate agent
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a gate agent job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The gate agent hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect gate agent also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of gate agent salaries for various roles:

   Type of Gate Agent	Description	Hourly rate
   Gate Agent	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$13-21
   Transportation Clerk	As a Transportation Clerk, your job is to assess the contents of freight goods and their associated documents. You will be required to check the consignment and the designation details of all containers, passengers, and articles... Show more	$9-19
   Passenger Service Agent	Passenger service agents are professionals who work inside airport terminals to provide assistance and related customer services to the airlines they serve. These agents are required to issue airline tickets for clients while checking if their requested dates of flights are available and then prepare their itineraries accordingly... Show more	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reservations
   • Passenger Manifest
   • Airline Tickets
   • FAA
   • Customer Issues
   • Aircraft
   • Safety Procedures
   • Computer System
   • Seat Assignments
   • Flight Schedules
   • Passenger Baggage
   • Check-In Process
   • Customer Complaints
   • Ticket Counter

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage ticket inventory and assist with passenger check-in procedures, baggage loading and unloading.
   • Alter customer itineraries and seat assignments as necessary to meet FAA mandates and requirements.
   • Brief passengers according to company and FAA requirements, ensure the completion of all require aircraft forms.
   • Uphold all TSA safety regulations.
   • Help TSA que passengers through security.
   • Ensure passenger satisfaction including making new reservations and reservation changes, and problem resolution.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your gate agent job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A gate agent can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, gate agents' average salary in mississippi is 41% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level gate agents 38% less than senior-level gate agents.
   • Certifications. A gate agent with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a gate agent's salary.

   Average gate agent salary

   $35,855yearly

   $17.24 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level gate agent salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

4. Writing a gate agent job description

   A gate agent job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a gate agent job description:

   Gate agent job description example

   The employee shall provide Air Mobility Command (AMC) Gateway Passenger Services in support of the Defense Transportation System (DTS) at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshal (BWI) Airport. The employee shall perform any combination of the following duties:
   
   * Process passengers through an air terminal using automated and non-automated systems in accordance with the applicable guidelines.
   
   * Handle and collect funds as necessary for excess luggage and other travel incidentals that passengers are required to pay for at the terminal per AMCI 24-1 O l Volume 14.
   
   * Gate passengers in accordance with governing directives by reviewing military issued orders/authorization to travel documentation and determine travel eligibility; operate terminal security equipment; perform Lost and Found baggage procedures: and maintain Space Available and Space Required passenger listings.
   
   * Process baggage for passengers ensuring that it is tagged correctly and meets travel requirements/limitations.
   * Perform passenger briefings as required for safety and travel requirements.
   * Transport passengers, aircrew and company employees as required.
   * Process Distinguished Visitors (DVs) in coordination with the Protocol office.
   * Maintain cleanliness of passenger terminal facilities inside and out to include restrooms, common areas, to ensure safety standards are met.
   * May maintain data records to include:
   * Establish /maintain Records and Reports IAW Air Mobility Command instruction 24-101, Volume 6, Performance Work Statement (PWS) and other applicable instructions.
   * Ensure transportation documentation is forwarded to HQ AMC.
   * Check for accuracy all flight documentation and file correctly.
   * Collect all mission documentation; check for accuracy, update the information in GATES, correct information within the applicable system and forward documentation to the appropriate office.
   * Quality Control and compile reports from the various work centers to meet PWS and regulatory requirements.
   * Aggressively reconcile movement records within established timelines and keep managers abreast of record status.
   * Resolve transportation irregularities in a timely manner.
   * Submit GATES trouble tickets as required to resolve database issues.
   
   * Establish and maintain records and reports.
   * Perform all other duties as prescribed by management.
   
   Required Experience, Training & Certifications:
   
   * Must be able to fluently read and write in English
   * High School Diploma or equivalent.
   * Must be able to operate a computer and any installed programs and web-based applications such as Global Air Transportation Execution System (GATES) as required by the position.
   * Previous experience as a gate agent working with passengers and other traveling customers is a plus.
   * Previous experience handling and accounting for monies collected a plus.
   
   Physical Demands
   
   * This position requires normal physical functions.
   * Work may require frequent bending, reaching and climbing.
   * May frequently lift and carry items weighing up to seventy pounds and occasionally lift heavier items with the assistance of other workers.
   
   Required Security Clearance Eligibility:
   
   * Must be able to obtain a favorable background check with the Department of Defense and obtain and maintain a Common Access Card.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find gate agents for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any gate agents they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level gate agents with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your gate agent job on Zippia to find and recruit gate agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit gate agents, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new gate agent

   Once you've decided on a perfect gate agent candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new gate agent. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a gate agent?