The number of days flight attendants work per week can vary depending on the airline, route, and individual schedule. However, most flight attendants in the United States work between 65-90 hours per month, which averages out to 15-22 days per month or 4-5 days per week.
Typical Flight Attendant Schedules
Here are some typical flight attendant schedules:
- 3-4 day trips with 3-4 days off in between
- 2 days on, 2 days off schedule
- 4 days on, 3 days off schedule
- 5 days on, 3 days off schedule
So a typical week for a flight attendant may look like:
| Day | Work or Off |
|---|---|
| Monday | Work |
| Tuesday | Work |
| Wednesday | Off |
| Thursday | Off |
| Friday | Work |
| Saturday | Work |
| Sunday | Off |
However, schedules can vary greatly depending on seniority, route, and airline. Some flight attendants may work a consistent schedule, while others have variable schedules that change monthly.
Scheduling Factors
There are several factors that influence flight attendant schedules:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations – The FAA limits flight attendants to no more than 14 hours of duty time within a 24 hour period, with required rest periods in between duties.
- Route – Long-haul international flights require more onboard crew members and longer layovers between flights.
- Seniority – Senior flight attendants often have more control over their schedules and flight routes.
- Staffing needs – Airlines need to have enough flight attendants to cover all scheduled flights.
- Peak travel times – More attendants are needed during busy holiday travel periods.
- Type of airline – Regional carriers tend to fly shorter routes with quick turnarounds.
Maximum Hours
While schedules vary, there are limits set on the maximum number of hours flight attendants can be required to work:
- Most airlines limit monthly maximum duty hours to around 80-90 hours.
- Yearly maximum duty hours are around 1,000 hours.
- Maximum duty hours per day are around 14 hours for domestic and international flights.
However, just because these are the maximum hours does not mean flight attendants are scheduled for this amount. Many may only be scheduled for 60-70 hours in a month.
Number of Work Days per Month
Looking at typical monthly maximum duty hours, flight attendants end up working:
- Around 15-20 days per month.
- Or 4-5 days per week on average.
However, due to the nature of the job with multi-day trips and varying schedules, duty days are not evenly distributed. One week may be 3 days on, 4 days off, while another is 5 days on, 2 off.
It balances out to an average of 4-5 days per week of actually being on duty, even though schedule varies greatly month to month.
Impact of Schedule on Life
The variable schedule of a flight attendant has a significant impact on daily life:
- Makes it difficult to plan events and appointments in advance
- Can disrupt sleep cycles when switching between day and overnight flights
- Time off may not align with family/friend schedules
- Commuting is often required between home and domicile airport
- Being away for multiple days in a row prevents usual home routines
Flight attendants get good blocks of time off between trips, but the schedule itself and adjusting between trips can be challenging.
Conclusion
Most flight attendants work an average of 15-20 days per month, which equals 4-5 days on duty per week. However, schedules can vary greatly for each individual based on airline policies, staffing needs, and seniority factors. The job requires flexibility as flight attendants may be on multi-day trips, overnights in different cities, and variable monthly schedules based on route rotations.