This question is strictly about modern Western societies, not traditional societies. And when I say “physically attractive,” I essentially mean having a conventionally attractive face, but height can play a strong but lesser role.

Non-exhaustive benefits that I can think off off the top of my head:

Unique benefits for physically attractive men relative to other men:

  • Far less likely to be correctly or incorrectly perceived as pervy, creepy, or dangerous, which is more likely to happen to men

  • Receive a bottleneck of positive attention due to their rarity among men and women’s relative selectiveness. This disparity is partly due to the fact that most men don’t wear makeup

  • Far more sexual and relationship opportunities available from the passive role rather than the initiator role

  • Far more likely to receive positive reinforcement about their looks and appearance

  • Can much more easily find partners who will provide for them financially

Unique benefits for physically attractive women relative to other women:

  • Can more easily hold their own among other women, for whom makeup is the norm

  • Less likely to have their appearance openly insulted or degraded, which happens more often to women

  • High availability of people who are willing to give them money or gifts

  • Are less likely to be affected by the messaging that women are judged only on their looks (which isn’t true, but could seem true and can be very demoralizing)

Benefits for physically attractive people which apply to both sexes more than people think:

  • More likely to be acknowledged in social situations by the other sex without having to prove themselves

  • More easily accepted as they age

  • Less likely to be penalized for their shortcomings in platonic and non-platonic settings

  • Less likely to be used as a cash cow by the opposite sex

  • Usually treated better in professional settings