DiscoverRunway LifeAirline Pilot Work Life Balance Explained
Airline Pilot Work Life Balance Explained

Airline Pilot Work Life Balance Explained

Update: 2025-12-19
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Description

In this episode of Runway Life, Craig sits down with Andrew Barton, a legacy airline First Officer soon upgrading to Captain, to talk honestly about what airline pilot work-life balance is really like.

We cover the topics pilots and their families care about most:

  • What airline schedules look like early vs later in your career
  • How seniority directly affects quality of life
  • The reality of marriage and family life as an airline pilot
  • Flying on holidays, weekends, and birthdays
  • How upgrading to Captain changes schedule flexibility
  • What aspiring airline pilots don’t realize about long-term lifestyle

This is a candid conversation for:

  • Pilots considering the airline career path
  • Spouses and families wanting to understand the lifestyle
  • CFIs and commercial pilots thinking long-term about quality of life

If you’ve ever wondered whether the airline job is “worth it” beyond the paycheck, this episode gives you a real-world look from someone living it.

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Airline Pilot Work Life Balance Explained

Airline Pilot Work Life Balance Explained

Runway Life