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Contract Pilots & Contract Flight Attendants Know What They're Worth

In the evolving skies of private aviation, transparency is becoming more than a buzzword—it’s a necessity. That’s why CrewBlast puts daily rates front and center, publishing the Contract Pilot Daily Rates and Contract Flight Attendant Daily Rates for every single corporate aircraft type. Whether you're a Contract Pilot, a Contract Flight Attendant, or an operator budget-planning flights, this clarity makes all the difference.

Why Daily Rates Matter

  • Setting expectations: For pilots and flight attendants, knowing what operators are paying helps in evaluating opportunities realistically.

  • Operator budgeting: Companies hiring crew can plan costs more precisely when rates are standardized and easy to find.

  • Fair compensation: Transparent rate data helps ensure that crews are paid appropriately — domestic vs. international travel, aircraft type, PIC vs. SIC differences—all accounted for.

What CrewBlast Publishes

CrewBlast’s Daily Rate Survey (most recent version: August 2024) lists the daily contractor rates for a variety of aircraft types. Rates are broken down by:

  • PIC (Pilot in Command) vs. SIC (Second in Command)

  • Domestic vs. International travel

  • Flight Attendant daily rates

Some examples from the survey:

  • For a Gulfstream G7500, the PIC contractor “domestic” rate is listed as $3,500/day and international as $4,000/day. crewblast.co

  • For a Flight Attendant on many aircraft types, domestic rates tend to hover around $1000/day, rising for international assignments. crewblast.co

(This is just a snapshot; the full list on CrewBlast.co/daily-rates gives you all the aircraft types, PIC/SIC, domestic/international, etc.) crewblast.co

How the Data Helps Contract Pilots & Contract Flight Attendants

For those working (or considering working) as independent crew—pilots or flight attendants—CrewBlast’s published daily rates offer some real advantages:

  1. Negotiation power: You can see what others in your aircraft class are making, in similar conditions, and use that in contracts.

  2. Informed decisions: If the international rate is significantly higher, it may make more sense to pursue assignments overseas, if feasible.

  3. Career planning: Want to transition from light jets to midsize or large corporate jets? This published data shows what the pay bump might look like.

  4. Avoiding surprises: No more guessing what “fair” looks like for SIC vs. PIC roles, or domestic vs. international legs.

For Aircraft Operators & Charter Companies

Operators benefit just as much:

  • Budget accuracy: Use actual market data rather than rough estimates when planning crew costs.

  • Competitive offers: Knowing what other operators are paying helps you stay competitive when recruiting Contract Pilots or Flight Attendants.

  • Reduced friction: When both sides understand market rates, there are fewer surprises in negotiations, fewer disputes, and smoother crew scheduling.

Key Insights From Current Data

From the latest CrewBlast survey, a few trends stand out:

  • Aircraft type strongly drives rate: larger, longer-range jets pay significantly more. crewblast.co

  • International flights almost always carry a premium over domestic. PIC/SIC differences are meaningful. crewblast.co

  • Flight attendants’ rates are lower than pilots’, but climb for international assignments. crewblast.co

How to Use CrewBlast’s Published Rates

Here’s a quick guide for making the most of the data:

  • Identify the aircraft you fly (or want to fly) and locate its listed daily rate under PIC, SIC, domestic/international.

  • Factor in extra costs (travel, accommodation, per diems) beyond the base rate. The published daily rate is your baseline.

  • Use the data to benchmark your own rates if you’re contracting independently.

  • Operators can use the published rates to compare what they’re offering vs. what the market is paying and adjust accordingly.

Final Thoughts

CrewBlast’s commitment to publishing Contract Pilot Daily Rates and Contract Flight Attendant Daily Rates for every corporate aircraft type is a game-changer in the business aviation sector. It brings transparency that benefits both crew and operators—boosting fairness, improving budget planning, and helping professionals make smarter decisions.

If you haven’t checked out the full daily-rate survey yet, it’s well worth a look. It’s a resource that helps contract crew understand what they should be earning and operators understand what they should be paying.