How to choose a crashpad

What a crashpad is

A crashpad (also spelled crash pad) is shared housing near an airline crew base. Pilots and flight attendants rent a bed for the nights they need to be in base before or between trips, usually by the month; some crashpads also offer nightly stays. Listings on CommuteBase are organized by base and are free to browse.

Hot bed vs cold bed

A hot bed is shared with other crew on a rotating basis, so it isn't kept for you between trips. A cold bed is yours alone, so your things can stay on it between trips. Some crashpads offer only one kind; some offer both. Cold beds usually cost more.

What it costs

Of the 52 listed crashpads with a monthly starting price (as of Nov 9, 2026), starting prices run from $240 to $950 a month, with a median of about $362. These are each crashpad's lowest advertised rate. Confirm the current price with the host.

The full breakdown, including prices by base, is on the crashpad cost page.

Crashpad, hotel, or a short-term rental

• A crashpad is usually the commuting default if you'll be in base often and you want a crew-oriented place.
• A hotel is often better for a first trip, a very short stay, or a base with no public crashpad listing yet.
• A short-term rental or apartment can fit if you want a private place or a lease, with more paperwork and often a larger deposit.

Questions to ask before you send money

• Who else stays there — pilots, flight attendants, or both; men only, women only, or co-ed.
• Hot bed or cold bed, and whether your bed is held between trips.
• The current monthly or nightly rate, any deposit, and what's included (wifi, parking, linens, rides).
• Quiet hours, and whether the place works for day sleepers if you need to sleep during the day.
• How far it is from the employee lot or the terminal at report time, not just at noon.
• How you get a key, and who to text if something's wrong.

Don't wire money or send a deposit to a person you haven't confirmed. Ask for a current photo or a video walk-through, the street address, and a chance to talk to someone who already lives there.

Where to look on CommuteBase

Start with your base guide. Then see prices, crew hotels, and short-term rentals. Hosts can list a crashpad free. Crew can rate a crashpad after they stay.

If you're a new flight attendant still looking at which airlines are hiring, see CabinOpenings. Once you have a base, come back here to sort housing.

Also see: Reserve and new-hire housing: crashpad, crew hotel, or rental · How commuting works in your first year