The location of your base is determined by the airline you choose to work for. The airlines are in a lot of competition with each other to get the best employees, and they want to offer their flight attendants the best base location. The best bases are usually in places where the employee wants to live.

Flight attendants generally do not get to choose their home base when they are first hired; instead, they are assigned a base by the airline based on operational needs. During the training process, new hires typically submit a "wish list" of preferred locations from a list of open bases, but the final decision rests with the company. Once assigned, a flight attendant is expected to live in or commute to that specific city. However, as they gain seniority, they earn the right to "bid" for a transfer to a different base. This process can take anywhere from a few months to several years depending on the popularity of the base and the turnover rate. Seniority also dictates the ability to choose specific flight routes and schedules. For many, the goal is to land a base in a city with a lower cost of living or one that is a major international hub. Until a transfer is granted, many flight attendants choose to "commute" by flying standby from their actual home to their assigned base, often staying in shared "crash pads" with other crew members during their work rotations.