Credit Hours vs. Block Hours Explained
Written by a working flight attendant, creator of CrewPay
Understand the difference between block time and credit time, why they differ, and how each affects crew trip pay.
Block hours: the time you are actually moving
Block time is measured from the moment the aircraft leaves the gate, when the parking brake is released and the blocks are pulled, until it arrives at the destination gate. It is the most direct measure of how long a flight took. Your logbook and many company systems record block time for every leg you operate.
Block time on a given route changes from day to day. Taxi queues, weather, holding patterns, and tailwinds all move the number. Airlines schedule a planned block time for each flight, but the actual figure is only known once the airplane is parked.
Credit hours: the time you are paid for
Credit time is the number of hours the company actually pays you for. On a normal flight it is often the greater of scheduled block or actual block, but contracts add many protections on top. Minimum day credit, trip rigs, duty rigs, and deadhead credit can all raise the paid hours above the time spent flying.
For example, a day with only two hours of flying might still pay five hours of credit because of a minimum day guarantee. A long trip with lots of sitting might trigger a trip rig that pays one hour of credit for every few hours of TAFB. These rules are where credit and block hours start to separate.
Why the calculator says Hourly
Different airlines and crew groups describe the paid time in different ways, so the CrewPay calculator labels the field Total Hourly. Enter whichever number your pay rules actually pay you for. For most crew members that is the trip's total credit shown in the bid package, because it already includes rigs and guarantees.
Multiply that number by your hourly rate to get flight pay. At $30.32 per hour, a trip with 18 credit hours pays $545.76 in flight pay before per diem and any boarding pay are added.
Reading credit in a bid package
Most bid packages show credit per duty day and a total for the pairing. Look for the total, and check whether it includes deadhead credit. If you are unsure whether a number is block or credit, compare it against the individual leg times. If the total is larger than the sum of the legs, rigs or guarantees have been applied.
Putting it to work
When choosing between trips, credit per day of work is one of the most useful comparisons. A two-day trip that pays 12 hours of credit is often more efficient than a three-day trip that pays 15. Enter both into the calculator with their TAFB and boardings to see the full picture, then decide which one fits your schedule and your goals.
As always, the calculator only estimates. Your company's employee policy manual and contract decide the official numbers.
Try it yourself
Open the CrewPay Trip Calculator to price a trip or compare up to three. Read the disclaimer for how estimates work.