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What Is an Empty Leg Flight?
An empty leg flight is a private jet flying without passengers. It happens when an aircraft needs to reposition—traveling from where it dropped off passengers to where it picks up the next client, or returning to its home base after a one-way trip.
Rather than fly these segments empty, operators offer the seats at significant discounts. For travelers with flexible schedules, empty legs provide access to private jet travel at a fraction of the normal cost.
The term "empty leg" refers to one leg of a round trip that would otherwise have no passengers on board. Also called "deadhead flights," "ferry flights," or "repositioning flights," these opportunities exist because private aviation rarely operates on fixed schedules like commercial airlines.
Why Do Empty Legs Exist?
Private jet travel is inherently inefficient compared to commercial aviation. When a client books a one-way flight from New York to Miami, the aircraft still needs to get back to New York—or continue to its next booking elsewhere.
Common scenarios that create empty legs include:
One-way bookings: A client flies from Atlanta to Los Angeles but doesn't need a return flight. The jet must reposition back to Atlanta or to another location for its next trip.
Home base returns: Many aircraft are based at specific airports. After completing a trip, they return home empty to await the next booking.
Repositioning for maintenance: Jets periodically fly to maintenance facilities, often without passengers.
Schedule gaps: When there's time between bookings in different cities, the aircraft repositions empty to be in place for the next client.
These flights happen regardless of whether passengers are on board. Operators lose nothing by offering discounted seats—any revenue helps offset fuel, crew, and landing fees.
How Much Can You Save?
Empty leg discounts typically range from 25% to 75% off standard charter rates. The exact savings depend on the route, aircraft type, timing, and how urgently the operator needs to fill the flight.
For example, a one-way flight from Teterboro (New York) to Miami on a midsize jet might normally cost $18,000-$22,000. The same route as an empty leg could be available for $8,000-$12,000.
"Empty legs are the insider's secret to flying private. You get the same aircraft, the same crew, the same experience—just at a price that actually makes sense for occasional travelers."
The Trade-Offs: What You Give Up
Empty leg flights come with strings attached. The discounts exist precisely because these flights offer less flexibility than standard charters.
How to Find Empty Leg Flights
Empty legs are time-sensitive by nature. They appear when bookings create them and disappear when they're filled or when the underlying trip changes.
Charter brokers: Working with a broker who tracks empty legs across multiple operators gives you the widest selection. Brokers can also alert you when flights matching your preferences become available.
Operator websites: Some charter operators list available empty legs on their websites. However, this only shows you that single operator's inventory.
Empty leg aggregators: Several websites compile empty leg listings from multiple sources. Quality and accuracy vary—some listings are outdated or already booked.
Flight alerts: The most effective approach is telling your broker your flexible travel windows and preferred routes. When a matching empty leg appears, you get notified immediately.
The best empty legs go fast. Popular routes like New York to Florida, Los Angeles to Las Vegas, or Chicago to Aspen during ski season can book within hours of being listed.
Best Routes for Empty Legs
Empty legs cluster around high-demand private aviation markets. Routes between major business centers and popular leisure destinations generate the most repositioning flights.
Seasonal patterns are predictable. Snowbirds flying south in November create empty legs heading north. Spring breakers create the reverse. Major events—the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Art Basel—generate clusters of empty legs in the days before and after.
Who Should Book Empty Legs?
Empty legs aren't for everyone. They work best for travelers who fit a specific profile.
Ideal candidates for empty legs:
- Flexible schedules with no fixed travel dates
- Comfortable with last-minute planning
- Flying popular routes where empty legs are common
- Price-sensitive but still want the private jet experience
- Willing to monitor availability and act fast
Empty legs probably aren't right if you:
- Need to travel on specific dates for business or events
- Require certainty—cancellations would disrupt important plans
- Are flying unusual routes with limited private jet traffic
- Want to customize departure times or make stops
- Need round-trip travel (empty legs are almost always one-way)
For travelers who can adapt their plans to match available inventory, empty legs provide genuine value. For those who need reliability, standard charter remains the better choice.
How to Book an Empty Leg
Once you find an empty leg that matches your needs, the booking process moves quickly.
Step 1: Confirm availability. Empty legs can disappear fast. Verify the flight is still available before making plans.
Step 2: Understand the terms. Ask about cancellation policies, what happens if the underlying trip changes, and whether the departure time has any flexibility.
Step 3: Review the aircraft. Confirm the jet type, passenger capacity, luggage space, and any amenities. Not all aircraft are equal—a light jet works for two passengers with golf bags, but not for six people with ski gear.
Step 4: Verify the operator. Even at discounted rates, safety matters. Work with a broker who vets operators using services like WYVERN or ARGUS.
Step 5: Book and pay. Empty legs typically require faster payment than standard charters, often full payment upfront given the time-sensitive nature.
Step 6: Have a backup plan. Until you're wheels-up, there's a small chance the flight could cancel. Know your alternatives.
Empty Legs vs. Other Ways to Save
Empty legs aren't the only path to more affordable private aviation. Here's how they compare to other options:
Tips for Empty Leg Success
Maximize your chances of scoring a great empty leg deal:
Be flexible on airports. Willing to fly into Teterboro instead of Westchester? Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami? Flexibility on airports dramatically increases your options.
Book repositioning flights, not just returns. Empty legs going TO popular destinations (not just returning from them) sometimes offer better deals because they're less obvious to most travelers.
Build a relationship with a broker. Brokers who know your preferences can alert you to opportunities before they hit public listings.
Act fast. When you see a match, book it. Hesitating for a day often means missing out.
Travel light. Some empty legs are on smaller aircraft with limited baggage capacity. Pack accordingly.
Consider positioning yourself. If there's an incredible empty leg deal from an airport an hour away, it might be worth driving to access the savings.
The Bottom Line
Empty leg flights offer a legitimate way to experience private aviation at significantly reduced costs. The savings are real—50% to 75% off standard charter rates—but so are the limitations.
For travelers with genuine flexibility who can adapt their plans to match available inventory, empty legs unlock access to private jets that might otherwise be out of reach. For those who need specific dates, times, and routes, the constraints make empty legs impractical.
The Jet Guys maintains current empty leg inventory and can alert you when flights matching your travel patterns become available. Whether you're exploring your first private flight or looking to stretch your aviation budget further, our team can help you determine if an empty leg makes sense for your next trip.