Cabin crew tend to live close to their base, but it's not the only option. Many airlines say that crew must live within 45 minutes to 90 minutes traveling time of their base. This is due to 'standby' duties, where cabin crew are called out last minute to operate a flight where someone has gone sick or is late for duty.

Flight attendants are not strictly required to live in their assigned "base" or "domicile" city, but they must be able to reach the airport within a specific timeframe for their shifts. Many crew members are "commuters," meaning they live in a different city (or even a different country) and use their airline's "jumpseat" or standby travel benefits to fly to work. This lifestyle is common but stressful, as a full flight or a weather delay can make a commuter late, which is often a fireable offense. If a flight attendant is on "reserve" (on-call duty), they must typically be able to reach the airport within 90 minutes to 2 hours, which often requires staying in a "crashpad"—a shared apartment near the airport with other crew members. Some international airlines, particularly those in the Middle East like Emirates or Qatar Airways, have different rules and often provide company-sponsored housing in the base city (Dubai or Doha) for all their staff. For most U.S. and European carriers, the choice of where to live is a personal one, balancing the cost of living against the exhaustion of a multi-hour commute to start a workday.