Commuter Flights

What is a Commuter Flight?

A commuter flight is a short-haul plane in which people typically use to commute between work and home. Commuter flights are those which travel from a small regional airport to a main airport, and are usually domestic flights. Typically, these flights operate on smaller aircraft and are often domestic flights, though this is not always the case.

The idea of commuting by plane is that it compensates for poor transportation methods on the ground, between small towns to larger hubs. This means it is often a lot quicker to commute to work with a flight, rather than on the ground in a car or with public transport.

How are commuter flights different to red-eye flights?

Commuter flights are short enough that they can depart early morning and still arrive at the destination the same day in time for work. Red-eye flights depart late at night and arrive early morning to not miss a working day.

What is a commuter carrier?

A commuter carrier is an airline who recognises a large proportion of its passengers are commuters. Their fleet often contains smaller aircraft, such as Embraer ERJ145 or Bombardier CRJ200 and they often operate routes from small regional airports to larger airport and hubs.

Who commutes to work by flying?

Anyone can use airlines and flights to commute to work, if their home and work location allows it. It is important to weigh up the pros and cons of commuting by plane as opposed to traditional methods of commuting (car or ground public transport). Business travellers are often more likely to use commuter flights than others.