HitchDaysShort answer
To work out how long till you're home, take the number of days in your hitch, subtract today's day number, and add one. On day 9 of a 14-day hitch that is 14 - 9 + 1 = 6: you're home in 6 days, on the day after day 14. Counting sleeps gives the same number, six nights to go.
Why the "plus one" is there
"Home" here means the first day of your home stretch, which is the day after the last day of the hitch. On day 9 of 14 there are 5 hitch days left after today (10, 11, 12, 13, 14), and home is the day after that, so 6 days from today. If you count the days left including today you also get 6 (9 through 14), which is why people get the right answer by different routes and then argue about it.
The same formula works the other way when you're home: days until your next hitch is the number of home days, minus today's home day number, plus one. On day 5 of 14 at home, that is 10 days.
Steps
Find today's day number. Count from the first day of this hitch, which is day 1. If you only know the date the hitch started, today's day number is the days between that date and today, plus one.
Know your hitch length. 14 on a 14/14 or a 2 and 1, 28 on a 28/28, 4 on a 4 on 4 off.
Subtract and add one. Hitch length, minus today's day number, plus one.
Turn it into a date. Add that many days to today's date. That date is your first day home.
Check the weekday. On a 14/14, 28/28, or 2 and 1, your first day home is always the same weekday as your first hitch day. If it isn't, recount.
Worked examples
| Rotation | Today | Sum | Days until home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14/14 | Day 9 of 14 on hitch | 14 - 9 + 1 | 6 |
| 28/28 | Day 20 of 28 on hitch | 28 - 20 + 1 | 9 |
| 2 and 1 (14/7) | Day 3 of 14 on hitch | 14 - 3 + 1 | 12 |
| 4 on 4 off | Day 4 of 4 on | 4 - 4 + 1 | 1, home tomorrow |
| 14/14, at home | Day 5 of 14 at home | 14 - 5 + 1 | 10 until the next hitch |
With dates: a hitch that started Tuesday, September 29, 2026 is on day 9 on Wednesday, October 7. Six days later is Tuesday, October 13, the first day home.
The travel day question
Most arguments about the count come down to the crew change day. If you fly home on day 14 and walk in the door that night, is day 14 a hitch day or a home day? Neither answer is wrong; what matters is using the same one every time:
- If your company counts the travel day as the last hitch day, the formula above already gives the day after you get home.
- If you want the countdown to hit zero on the day you travel, count to the travel day instead: subtract one from the answer.
- If you cross time zones, count by the calendar where you'll be when you get home, so the family's date and yours match.
Common mistakes
- Counting forward from the last crew change on your fingers. It works until the month has 31 days. Use day numbers, not dates, until the last step.
- Calling the first day day 0. The first hitch day is day 1, so day 14 is the last.
- Counting the crew change day twice, once as the end of the hitch and once as the start of home.
- Mixing "days left" and "days until home". On day 9 of 14, there are 6 days left including today, 5 after today, and home is 6 days away. Say which one you mean when the family asks.
- Forgetting a holdover. If you were held over three days, add three to the answer.
Skip the sum
The rotation calculator does this for any rotation from one first hitch day, and lists the next six changes. On iPhone, HitchDays keeps the answer on the first screen, worded "Home in 6 days" or "They're home in 6 days" for the person at home, and changes it at midnight. It counts whole calendar days, so month ends and daylight saving never move it. See the countdown.