Regional airline areas?

Question

Is it true that some regional airlines will keep you around the area you live most of the time? I heard some are home very night or every other night. Also, can you make a living off being a captain at a regional and not moving up to a major?

Answer 1

I disagree with some of the above.  Its possible to stay local to a certain extent, but regionals aren't so regional any more.

For instance, I fly for SkyWest and one of my upcoming trips goes from SLC to Houston to Atlanta on day one.  Day two is ATL to Buffalo and back to Atlanta.  Day 3 is Atlanta, Memphis, then back to Atlanta.  And day 4 is back to Salt Lake via Houston again.

What exactly is "regional" about that schedule?

Answer 2

I've been a flight attendant for 10 yrs. Working at American Eagle, been based in SJU, DFW. and now ORD. You will most likely not be based where you live. And about your income question, Check out airlinepilotcentral.com It tells what each airline pilot is making I think the first officers at eagle start at $24/per fligh hour now and they are hiring them with very little flight hours. Im checking out your past questions and answers because my daughter wants to become a pilot too.

Answer 3

Yes, I work for a regional. But the way it works out is right now we are based out of DEN primarily. We are soon to be based out of STL also. About 98% of the pilots are based out of Denver. However many of them still choose to live in their current homes. But there are only around probably 50% that actually live in Coloardo, its not unusual that some live in Washington, Texas, Arizona, California, but commute jump seating on other Airlines.

When you get seniority you will be able to bid whatever lines you get some of our most senior guys just bid Telluride turns so they litterally just go to work and fly 3 Telluride turns and are done for the day and go home.

They usually will have you based out of a airport, but because you can jumpseat they will allow you to commute from wherever you live.

Yes you can make pretty good money at a regional. Plus we have Captains that really work kind of part time, and pick and choose to fly whatever they want then say run a bar at home.. You could easily make over 60-70k a year at a regional. If you have the time in.

Answer 4

No.  If you work for a regional that has a base where you live you have a chance of eventually being based there, but if the airline has not base in your home town you are either commuting to work or moving.

Yes.  I made $80,000 last year as a captain of an EMB-145.

Answer 5

You cannot usually get that until past a year+ into the job.  

Yes, some are home every night.  But it isn't always the city you want to live in.  Regionals are not small, of course; Colgan Air spans  Northern Maine far intoTexas.  Where you're based is up to the company, and you can be transferred a few times in the course of a year.

You can make ok money as captain at some carriers.

If spending plenty of nights away from home makes you unhappy then  airline pilot is not the job for you.  There are many other pilot jobs.

Answer 6

Yes and maybe.

Regional are small of course,(for the most part) so their route's are small. For example if you work for sky west you may fly into salt lake city then Vegas then back into salt lake city. (say salt lake city is your home).   the pay for most regional is horrible. I'm talking 17k a year as first officer. you may be able to live barley off being a regional captain....  Hope your wife is a doctor.

i know a guy who work's for Us Airways express flys the dash-8. he flys out of Philly then to new york than Baltimore and back into Philly. (not always in that order but that's  good idea)

i may have worded this wrong. If you fly a dehavilland  dash 8, you sure as heck wont fly across the country. You might fly in just one region maybe two. So it also varies upon what plane you fly. CRJ's Saab's ETC.