Sara Nelson (born March 11, 1973) is an American union leader who serves as the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL–CIO.

[1] A United Airlines flight attendant since 1996, she previously served as AFA's international vice president for a term beginning January 1, 2011.

[4][5] Nelson initially intended to pursue acting, but instead worked four jobs to pay off her student debt, including as a substitute teacher, waitress, linen salesperson, and temp at an insurance agency.

When United used the bankruptcy to terminate the flight attendants pension plan, Nelson announced AFA's intent to engage in a strike.

[12] The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reversed its decision to allow knives on passenger flights, after first announcing it would lift the knife ban.

[19] According to Nelson, the campaign succeeded because it worked as a coalition with congressional leaders, was backed by a legal team, arranged demonstrations at airports, and exerted "pressure from all sides.

Taking office as International Vice President of AFA in 2011,[21] Nelson was responsible for the union's organizing, communications and leadership development programs.

Nelson also testified regularly before the United States Congress on issues of importance to flight attendants, like the Known Crew Member Program and the No Knives Campaign.

[23] In a speech on January 24, 2019, Nelson excoriated government officials for the shutdown, citing 800,000 federal workers who were forced to work for free or furloughed without pay.

Nelson argued that TSA officers and air traffic controllers were distracted by the burdens the shutdown placed on them, and that was eroding the safety of the airline industry.