Instead of paying high rent, a woman found a more economical way to commute to her job by flying across up to three states weekly.
Sophia Celentano may be the only individual in the US who chooses to fly across multiple states, either from her parents’ house or her boyfriend’s place, to reach her internship.
While such a commute might seem extreme for a full-time position, let alone an internship, Sophia explained to her TikTok followers how she decided to fly instead of dealing with the high rental costs in New Jersey.
If leaving from her parents’ location in Charleston, West Virginia, she would travel over Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware before landing in New Jersey. From her boyfriend’s place in Richmond, Virginia, her trip would cover fewer states.
In an interview with Business Insider, Sophia elaborated on the reasoning behind her weekly flying commute for her internship.
After receiving a job offer from Ogilvy, Sophia felt it was intuitive to travel to the office, as she only needed to be there one day per week.
She commented, “From my perspective, I didn’t really see it worth getting a really expensive place by the office if I was only needing to be there for eight hours of the week.”
“I guess I never really saw super-commuting as a daunting thing.”
She shared her morning routine process: “When I first started, I’d get up at like 3am to get ready for the plane ride, but now I wake up around 3:30am or 3:45am.
“I do my makeup and hair first, put on my business casual outfit, and then I get my bag ready. I usually pack a lunch, some comfortable clothes, and then bring a coffee to go.”
She typically left her house around ‘4:30am’ and arrived at the airport by ‘5am’.
“I have TSA PreCheck, so the airport security line really only takes five to 10 minutes,” she said. “I’m usually at my gate by around 5:15 am, which is exactly when boarding starts.”
Once her flight lands, Sophia quickly calls an Uber and reaches the office ‘usually around 8:30 or 8:45am’ in time for her 9-5 workday.
At the end of the day, she arrives back at her accommodation around ’11pm’.
“The next day, because I work remote, I’m able to sleep in a bit, so that helps a lot,” she added.
“I don’t have to wake up until around 8am to start work.”
Although she acknowledged the commute could be tiring, Sophia insisted it was ‘worth it’.
Regarding finances, Sophia addressed those curious about her travel-heavy lifestyle, indicating that super-commuting achieves a balance between work and personal life.
She said, “A lot of people are interested in how much money I’m saving. I book my flights about three to four weeks out so they’re pretty cheap.
“My flights are around $100 there and back, and then I pay about $100 for Ubers between the office and airport. If I lived in the New York City or New Jersey area, I’d be spending thousands of dollars a month on rent alone.”
While she acknowledged that her approach might not suit everyone, Sophia noted, “I feel like I’ve gotten used to the whole hustle of traveling every week, and it really doesn’t bother me.
“If anything, I really look forward to it. I love being at the airport. I love the adventure of it. I think it’s really nice to be able to wake up in one city and then start my workday in another.”
That’s one way to view it.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/7247557307956022571
Pleased with her decision, Sophia remarked that her experience highlights how people are placing greater emphasis on work-life balance post-pandemic.
She stated, “The hybrid world really allows you to have so much more flexibility.”
“It’s not necessary to live 20 minutes down the road from your office anymore. You can still have a really successful career — even if you’re living far away from where you work.”