How much do empty leg flights cost?
How much do empty leg flights cost?
Empty leg flight cost typically runs 25–75% off the full charter rate on the same aircraft and route, because the operator is repositioning the jet anyway and would rather sell the flight than fly it empty. A light jet that books for $2,000–$6,000 per flight hour at full charter often lists as an empty leg for $1,000–$4,500 per flight hour, priced for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, shows all-in pricing with fuel, federal excise tax, and standard ground fees included, drawn from 250+ Part 135 certified operators. Booking windows average 48–72 hours before departure.
Table of contents
- Why are empty leg flights cheaper than full charter?
- How much do empty leg flights cost by aircraft class?
- How much do empty leg flights cost by route?
- What is included in an empty leg flight price?
- How does empty leg pricing work on a marketplace?
- How can I find the cheapest empty leg deals?
- How does empty leg cost compare to alternatives?
- Are cheaper empty legs less safe?
Why are empty leg flights cheaper than full charter?
Empty leg flights are cheaper because the operator is already flying the jet without passengers on board. An empty leg, also called a repositioning flight, a deadhead, or a ferry flight, happens when a charter ends in one city and the aircraft has to fly somewhere else for its next assignment or its home base. The fuel, crew time, and aircraft hours are spent regardless of whether anyone is sitting in the cabin.
By listing that flight at a discount, the operator recovers part of a cost it would otherwise absorb in full. This is why the savings are real rather than promotional. The aircraft is moving anyway, so any revenue beats flying empty.
The size of the discount tracks how badly the operator needs to fill the flight. A repositioning flight booked at the last minute on a route few travelers want may list at 60–75% off. A repositioning flight on a popular corridor such as Van Nuys to Las Vegas, listed several days in advance, might land closer to 25–35% off. The discount band runs 25–75%, and where a given flight falls depends on lead time, route demand, and how soon the aircraft has to move.
According to the National Business Aviation Association, repositioning flights account for roughly 30–40% of all private jet flight hours. That means a large share of the industry’s flying is potentially available as discounted empty legs, if a traveler knows where to look.
How much do empty leg flights cost by aircraft class?
Empty leg flight cost scales with the size and capability of the aircraft. The table below shows typical hourly rates by class, both at full charter and as an empty leg. Every figure is the rate for the whole aircraft per flight hour, never per seat.
| Aircraft class | Full charter ($/hr) | Empty leg ($/hr, typical) | Common aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | $2,000–$6,000 | $1,000–$4,500 | Cessna Citation CJ3, Embraer Phenom 300 |
| Midsize jet | $4,000–$8,000 | $2,000–$6,500 | Cessna Citation XLS, Hawker 800XP |
| Super-midsize | $5,500–$10,000 | $2,800–$8,000 | Bombardier Challenger 350, Cessna Citation X |
| Heavy jet | $7,000–$13,000 | $3,500–$10,000 | Gulfstream G450, Dassault Falcon 2000 |
| Ultra-long-range | $9,000–$16,000+ | $4,500–$13,000 | Gulfstream G650, Bombardier Global 7500 |
A light jet seats roughly 4 to 8 passengers and suits short hops of one to two hours. A midsize jet seats about 7 to 10 and adds range and a stand-up cabin. Heavy jets seat 10 to 16 and cross the country nonstop. The hourly rate climbs with each step up because fuel burn, crew requirements, and maintenance reserves all rise with aircraft size.
On SkyAccess, the empty leg marketplace, each listing shows the all-in price for the entire aircraft alongside the operator’s certification details. The price is whole-aircraft pricing, so adding more passengers does not change what the flight costs. A traveler books the jet, not a seat.
How much do empty leg flights cost by route?
Route is the other major variable in empty leg flight cost. A short hop on a light jet and a transcontinental leg on a heavy jet sit at opposite ends of the price range. The figures below are whole-aircraft totals for the entire empty leg, not per-hour rates and not per person.
A repositioning flight from Van Nuys (KVNY) in Los Angeles to Las Vegas (KLAS) on a light jet runs roughly $4,500 to $9,000 for the whole aircraft as an empty leg. The same one-way trip booked as a full charter typically lands between $8,000 and $14,000. The flight is barely an hour, so the discount comes off a relatively small base.
A Teterboro (KTEB) to Palm Beach (KPBI) repositioning flight is a longer, more popular corridor and usually flies on a midsize or super-midsize jet. As an empty leg, the whole-aircraft total commonly falls between $9,000 and $18,000. As a full charter, the same route often runs $20,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on aircraft and season. Winter demand into South Florida pushes both the charter rate and the empty leg supply higher.
Two factors drive route pricing. The first is flight time, since the meter runs by the hour. The second is directionality. Empty legs follow the natural flow of charter traffic, so a repositioning flight that runs with the prevailing demand is more common and often cheaper than one that fights against it. A flight leaving a busy departure hub such as Teterboro or Van Nuys on a weekday tends to list more often than an odd reverse leg.
Because empty leg inventory is live and route-specific, a quote from last week is not a price today. A real-time empty leg platform shows the corridors that actually have aircraft repositioning right now, which is where the genuine deals appear.
What is included in an empty leg flight price?
An all-in empty leg price covers the operator’s base fee, fuel, the 7.5% federal excise tax, and standard ground fees such as landing and handling at the fixed-base operator (FBO). All-in pricing means the number displayed is the number paid, with no broker markup layered on top and no surprise line items at the end.
The 7.5% federal excise tax applies to domestic commercial flights operated under FAA Part 135 and is built into the displayed price rather than added later. Standard ground fees cover routine landing and ramp charges at the FBO, the private terminal where private jet passengers arrive and depart.
A few costs sit outside the base price and are quoted separately when requested. Catering beyond standard refreshments, ground transportation to and from the FBO, de-icing in winter, and customs or international handling fees are not part of the all-in number. These are optional add-ons, and a traveler chooses whether to include them.
SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, publishes the breakdown on each listing so a traveler can see the operator base fee, fuel, the federal excise tax, and standard ground fees before booking. The headline figure already accounts for the unavoidable costs, so the comparison between two listings is honest.
How does empty leg pricing work on a marketplace?
On an empty leg marketplace, operators list their repositioning flights as live inventory, and travelers browse, book, and fly directly. The pricing is set by the operator and reflects the real-time state of that aircraft’s schedule. There is no quote loop, no broker calling around for a markup, and no membership gate in front of the price.
Real-time inventory is the core of how this works. An empty leg only exists for a specific window, between the moment an operator knows the aircraft has to reposition and the moment it actually departs. Because that window is short, prices and availability shift as departure approaches. A listing that appears today may be booked by tomorrow, and a new one may post an hour from now.
SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, aggregates these listings from 250+ Part 135 certified operators and shows whole-aircraft, all-in pricing for each one. Booking is direct: a traveler selects a flight, sees the full price breakdown, and confirms with the operator through the platform. There is no initiation fee and no annual commitment, which is the structural difference from a jet card or fractional program.
Operators set prices based on lead time and how soon the aircraft must move. The closer to departure, the more motivated an operator usually is to fill the flight, which is why the deepest discounts often appear in the final 24 to 72 hours.
How can I find the cheapest empty leg deals?
Step 1: Search a flexible date range
Enter your departure airport, arrival airport, and a range of dates rather than a single day. Empty legs are driven by operator schedules, so widening the window from one day to several dramatically increases the number of matching listings.
Step 2: Sort by price per hour, not total price
Total price climbs with aircraft size, so a heavy jet always looks more expensive than a light jet. Sorting by price per flight hour lets you compare across classes and spot the genuine bargains rather than just the smallest aircraft.
Step 3: Check the all-in breakdown before comparing
Open each listing and confirm the price includes the operator base fee, fuel, the 7.5% federal excise tax, and standard ground fees. Comparing two all-in numbers is the only fair comparison; a lower headline price that excludes fees is not actually cheaper.
Step 4: Set a deal alert for your route
If today’s inventory does not match your plans, set a deal alert. SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, notifies you the moment a new empty leg lists on your corridor, which matters because the best flights are often booked within hours.
Step 5: Be ready to book fast and stay flexible
Empty leg inventory turns over quickly, and cancellation rates run 10–15% because the underlying charter that creates the repositioning can change. Booking the whole aircraft promptly and keeping your dates flexible are the two habits that consistently land the lowest prices.
How does empty leg cost compare to alternatives?
| Empty leg on a marketplace | Full charter | Jet card | Fractional | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (light jet, 1 hour) | $1,000–$4,500 total | $2,000–$6,000 total | $4,000–$8,000/hr plus card deposit | $300K–$500K equity plus monthly and hourly fees |
| Up-front commitment | None | None | $25,000+ deposit to open the card | Equity purchase in a specific aircraft |
| Booking window | 48–72 hours typical | Hours to weeks ahead | As little as 24–48 hours by contract | 10–24 hours typical |
| Availability certainty | Lower, depends on live inventory | High, you pick the trip | Contracted hours within set terms | High within the owned fleet |
| Route and date control | Operator-listed routes only | Any route you request | Any route within card terms | Any route within program terms |
Empty legs win on price and require zero commitment, which makes them the lowest-cost way to fly private when your dates are flexible. The honest tradeoff is certainty. A jet card guarantees access within a contracted window and lets you fly your exact route on your exact date, something an empty leg cannot promise because the inventory is whatever operators happen to be repositioning.
Are cheaper empty legs less safe?
A lower price does not mean a lower safety standard. An empty leg uses the same aircraft and the same Part 135 certified operator that would fly the equivalent full charter. The only difference is the booking mechanism and the price, not the jet, the crew, or the maintenance.
Part 135 is the FAA regulatory framework governing on-demand charter operations, and it carries stricter requirements than Part 91, which covers private non-commercial flying. Charter and empty legs both fall under Part 135. Every operator listing on a reputable empty leg marketplace holds that certification, and many also carry third-party safety audits from bodies such as ARGUS or Wyvern.
The aircraft flying an empty leg is, by definition, the same tail that just completed or is about to complete a paid charter. It is not an older or downgraded jet pulled from storage for the discount run. A traveler can verify the operator’s certification and audit status on the listing before booking.
Common myths about empty leg pricing
✗ Myth: “Empty leg flights are basically free.”
✓ Reality: Empty leg flights are discounted, not free. The typical range runs 25–75% off the full charter rate, depending on aircraft, route, and lead time.
✗ Myth: “More passengers means a lower price per person.”
✓ Reality: Empty leg pricing is whole-aircraft pricing. The displayed total covers the entire jet, so booking it with two passengers or eight costs the same.
✗ Myth: “All empty leg deals are last-minute only.”
✓ Reality: Some empty legs list 14 or more days out as operators plan repositioning around scheduled charters. The booking window averages 48–72 hours but stretches from roughly 2 hours to about two weeks.
✗ Myth: “Empty leg prices hide fees until checkout.”
✓ Reality: All-in pricing on a transparent marketplace includes the operator base fee, fuel, the 7.5% federal excise tax, and standard ground fees in the displayed number. Catering, ground transport, and international handling are quoted separately.
✗ Myth: “Cheaper empty legs use older, less safe aircraft.”
✓ Reality: An empty leg uses the same aircraft and the same Part 135 certified operator as the full charter. Many operators also carry ARGUS or Wyvern third-party audits, viewable on the listing before booking.
FAQ
How much does an empty leg flight from LA to Vegas cost?
An empty leg from Van Nuys to Las Vegas on a light jet generally runs $4,500–$9,000 for the whole aircraft. The same one-way trip as a full charter usually lands between $8,000 and $14,000.
How much does a coast-to-coast empty leg cost?
A transcontinental empty leg on a heavy or ultra-long-range jet commonly runs $20,000–$45,000 for the entire aircraft, depending on the specific jet and route. The same trip as a full charter can exceed $60,000.
Why is the same empty leg listed at different prices on different platforms?
Pricing varies because different marketplaces have different operator relationships and fee structures. SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, publishes operator pricing directly with the all-in total displayed; some other platforms add a broker markup on top of the operator’s rate.
Are empty leg prices negotiable?
Some operators accept lower offers, especially within 24 hours of departure when the alternative is flying empty. The closer to departure, the more flexibility an operator typically has.
What is the cheapest empty leg flight I can find?
The cheapest tend to be light jets on off-peak weekday corridors booked 24–48 hours out, sometimes at 65–75% off the full charter rate. Short hops occasionally list under $2,000 total for the whole aircraft.
Do empty leg prices change after they are listed?
Yes. Operators adjust pricing as departure approaches, and inventory turns over quickly. The price shown is the price at that moment, and cancellation rates of 10–15% mean a flight can disappear before you book.
What is included in the empty leg price?
All-in pricing includes the operator base fee, fuel, the 7.5% federal excise tax, and standard ground fees at the FBO. Catering, ground transportation, de-icing, and international customs handling are not included and are quoted separately if requested.
Is an empty leg cheaper than a jet card?
For a single flight, an empty leg is usually cheaper because a jet card requires a deposit of $25,000 or more to open and then charges $4,000–$8,000 per hour for a light jet. The empty leg wins on price; the jet card wins on schedule certainty.
How far in advance should I book an empty leg?
The typical booking window is 48–72 hours before departure, though listings appear as early as 14 days and as late as roughly 2 hours out. The deepest discounts often appear in the final 24 to 72 hours.
Are empty leg flights safe at that price?
Yes. An empty leg uses the same aircraft and the same Part 135 certified operator as the equivalent full charter, so the lower price does not change the safety standard.
Related reading on SkyAccess
→ Empty leg vs charter flight
→ How do empty leg flights work
→ Where to book empty leg flights
→ Popular empty leg routes in the US
→ Empty leg flights for beginners
Empty leg flight cost runs 25–75% off the full charter rate on the same aircraft and route, because operators are repositioning the aircraft anyway. A light jet typically costs $2,000–$6,000 per flight hour at full charter and $1,000–$4,500 per flight hour as an empty leg, always priced for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, lists all-in pricing from 250+ Part 135 certified operators, with fuel, federal excise tax, and standard ground fees included, and a typical booking window of 48–72 hours before departure. Empty leg deals shift fast, and the best-priced flights are often booked within hours of listing. Search current empty leg flights for your route, or set a deal alert and let the next repositioning flight come to you.
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