In the job market the way it is right now, who wouldn't want to get paid to travel?” says Leslie Mayo, a 27-year flight attendant at American Airlines, who lives in San Diego. The schedule is flexible, and “a day off is a day off—you don't take your job home with you,” she says, preparing for a trip to Zurich the next day.
The opportunity to fly for free is a big part of the industry's allure, even though most airline employees fly as “nonrevenue” standby passengers, waiting for an unsold empty (often middle) seat. At American, employees can get an open seat in first class for $150; coach is a third that price.