Step into the fascinating world of super-commuters — professionals who take to the skies to bridge the gap between their career and dream lifestyle. We'll look at a few who commute by plane, plus some specific jobs that involve frequent flying in case this is something piques your interest. Whether it sounds like an adventure or a logistical nightmare, we'll let you decide.

Meet the super commuters

Silicon Valley professionals work long, hard hours, but from 2014-2019, Curt von Badinski used to go the distance, literally. At that time, he was a co-founder of a San Francisco-based tech company and would commute by plane from his home in Los Angeles. Renting a home in LA was far cheaper than in San Francisco, so when von Badinski crunched the numbers, this decision made good financial sense. (Not to mention being able to stay living near his elderly parents.)

Five days a week, he went to Bob Hope Burbank airport to catch a 90-minute flight to Oakland via Surf Air, a small private charter flight service. Once in San Francisco, he drove his hybrid car to get to the office. Getting up at 5am and returning home after 9pm likely won’t appeal to many people, but to him, it was worth the 6-hour daily commute for some time. Nowadays, he advises against it, saying that it's a wasteful practice and don't great for one's mental health.

Von Badinski's story may not have been all too common before COVID-19, but the pademic caused the idea of a super commute to gain momentum as remote work freed employees from pricey, cramped city apartments. Nima Nassirian, for example, told The Times that it was worth the 500-mile commute to Vancouver, Canada, each week so his family could stay in Edmonton and maintain their lifestyle.

Could you see yourself swapping a car ride for a daily or weekly flight to the office?

What jobs allow you to commute by plane?

Commuting by plane on a daily basis won’t be practical for most people or employers. However, frequent travel is necessary for some jobs. There’s no particular position that will guarantee you to rack up frequent flyer miles, but there are a few roles that you could look for that have travel built into the job description.

Sales

If you’re working for a company with branches or clients located across the country, then you may need to fly to work on a regular basis to close any deals that you’re working on. Keep in mind that the amount of travel you do also depends on your title. A regional sales manager may take care of an entire state or multiple countries depending on their employer.

Public relations

Depending on your clients and what field they’re in, traveling may be expected for PR professionals. You might be launching a new product in Las Vegas one day or putting on a public event the next in Miami and need to be there in person to ensure it goes smoothly.

Management consultant

When you’re in the business of telling other businesses how to run more efficiently, you better believe you’ll be doing a lot of travel. If your client has multiple locations, you may end up flying to more than one city in the same week.

Public auditors

Similar to management consultants, public auditors may experience a fair amount of travel based on their clients. Since their job is to analyze the financials, it’s often expected that you'll work out of your client’s office.

Is flying to work practical?

In most cases, it doesn’t make much sense to commute by plane to work. However, it may be beneficial for you in special circumstances. If flights from your home city to where your job is located are inexpensive, then flying to work could be doable if you can tolerate the schedule. However, those costs still add up, so it may only be worth it if your employer is willing to partially or fully cover expenses. You also need a hotel or rental while you’re in town (if you aren't doing a daily commute like von Badinski), so don’t forget to factor in that cost too.

Now, if you’re traveling frequently to other office locations or to meet clients as part of your job, then you really don’t have a choice, as flying to work is required for you to perform your duties. If you’re only flying once or twice a month, then it can be manageable. However, some people may tire of the super commute, moving between time zones, and trying to find a work-life balance with so much travel involved. It may sound luxurious and you may be compensated well for your time, but it comes down to a lifestyle choice and if it's right for you at this point in your life.