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Things that raise your pay or your schedule quality

• Language qualification

  Getting certified on an airline's language list gets you international routes and an hourly premium.

• Purser or lead position

  The senior crew member on a flight, paid a premium, usually bid by seniority.

• International and long-haul flying

  Longer trips mean more flight hours credited per day away.

• Training instructor or recruiter

  A route to a ground job with regular hours once flying gets old.