Like the other military services, Airman are entitled to 30 vacation days a year, however, the days you get off each work will depend on your deployment tempo and mission requirements.
However, your weekly schedule will depend on what Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC, also known as your job) you have in the Air Force, some office workers will work regular hours like 0730 to 1630 with weekends off, whereas some Airmen may work long shifts that could last up to 12-14 hours for a few days and then have around 3 or 4 days off in between to rest. These are shift working jobs
On their weekly days off, Airmen must live or stay within a reasonable distance of the base so they can quickly return to their duty station when their schedule requires them to do so and if they are suddenly recalled for a mission or an emergency.
Do you get holidays off in the Air Force?
Yes, most Airmen can get holidays off but it is not guaranteed, and it will differ from what job you have and what base you’re on.
If there are no flights and no missions happening over a certain holiday period then you will be less likely to have to work, however, it is not uncommon for the Air Force to have to work over Christmas or other major holidays.
With the major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, you will be typically given two days off, with either the day off before or after other holidays. This will be depended on the local commander.
Smaller holidays like Veterans day will normally only require one day off.
However, there are certain critical jobs that cannot be without workers on any days of the year, let alone the holidays, so there will always need to be a certain number of people on shift.
This is common with Security Forces and Fire Protection. If you work in a 24 hour OPS center, such as Command and Control Operations or Airfield Management, then you will not have holidays off. It’ll just depend on your schedule and your command/wing's policy.
How many days a week do you work in the Air Force?
On average, Airmen will work between 40-50 hours a week. This will all depend if you are a shift worker or now. If you are then, you will normally work 12 hour shift, with 4 days on followed by 4 days of (or some similar schedule). However, if you are a Monday through Friday worker then you will work 8-9 hours a day with the weekends off.
However, the days you work will depend on your job in the Air Force, as well as your assignment/mission. You will have set hours for your job but some jobs may require you to be on call 24/7 to help out with the rest of your duty station.
If you are deployed in the field, it is not uncommon for people to work 6 days on with only 1 day off. You might even be required to work 7 days a week.
This may sound bad, but when you are deployed, you don't want down time. If you are deployed, you'll be thankful for work to help keep your mind off of what's going on back home.
Does the Air Force get weekends off?
Yes, some jobs in the Air Force will allow you with a normal schedule with weekends off every week. However, this is not guaranteed and will all depend on your base and your mission.
Office workers in the Air Force are more likely to work sociable hours and be granted two days off on the weekend whereas Airmen and people out on mission may work all weekend and have one day off in the week.
If you’re looking to work in the Air Force then you’ll have to be open to the hours that you may end up working. Some hours can be extremely unsociable and can leave you working night shifts with 4-day breaks in between.
There are no rules in the Air Force that state that you need the weekends off, however, leadership does try to look after their Airmen and make sure they are compensated for missed holidays/breaks whenever possible.
Do people in the Air Force travel?
Yes, people in the Air Force do travel as part of their jobs and they also get benefits from their job to have free or discounted travel on their leave days.
Some bases offer travel planning to allow airmen to make the most of their 30 vacation days. If you are overseas, then be sure to check out the installation Information Tickets and Travel (ITT). They are a great resource for getting out and seeing the world.
If they want to travel somewhere, Airmen can take advantage of free spaces on Air Force aircraft anywhere in the US and also international destinations. This is called Space-A, or "space available."
You will be able to travel with your family to your chosen destination as long as there are space available flights.
If you are deployed, then you may be able to take advantage of recreational or tourist activities in the location whilst off-duty as long as it is safe and authorized to do so.
However, some Airmen prefer to stay on base in case they need to be recalled and will spend their scheduled days off resting or doing hobbies.
If the destination you are traveling to is near a military facility then you may be offered the chance to have hotel-quality accommodation on a base for a discounted price, such as:
Friends and family members are offered discounted accommodation if they want to come and visit an employee of the Air Force on the base and there are lots of recreational activities to be able to do together on site.
How often do you get to come home in the Air Force?
How often you can come home will depend on what unit you’re in in the Air Force, if you are working at your base and not deployed on a mission somewhere then you would expect to come home every day after you’ve finished your shift.
If you are deployed on a mission, you could expect to not come home for over 6-12 months unless you have received special permission to leave due to a close family member passing away, also known as Emergency Leave.
However, you may get a few week’s leave to come home and see your family in the middle of deployment if your higher authorities grant it.
There is an option for families to live in military housing on an Air Force base so they can spend as much time together as possible.
The Air Force takes care of all the necessary expenses for living on bases, like utility bills and maintenance and you’ll also receive a tax-free allowance based on your rank and location to pay for food and living costs.
Do you fly for free in the Air Force?
Yes, flights in the Air Force are normally free of charge unless specified by the location of where you’re flying to and from. You are also entitled to reduced-priced accommodation on a nearby base in your destination to keep down your travel costs.
These are called Space Available flights, and will depend on what catagory you or your family are. Read more at the Air Mobility Command Space Available website.
However, you are not guaranteed a space on these flights and you will only be able to board a flight that has available seats.
They may not always be free of charge and you may have to pay an economical rate to fly to your destination, however, this will be heavily discounted compared to commercial airline rates.