Inside Los Angeles: 4,645 Van Nuys Empty Legs Leaving California for 359 Destinations

Updated September 29, 2026: counts now exclude exact duplicate copies and deleted, withdrawn or cancelled listings, and the rolling 12-month window now ends September 28, 2026. Destination totals now combine every airport listed under the same city, and a cross-region leg now means one that leaves California for another US state, a US territory or another country. The figures below reflect these corrections.

Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) generated 4,645 cross-region empty leg departures in the 12 months to September 28, 2026, connecting Los Angeles to 359 distinct destinations across the United States, Mexico, and beyond. Counting every destination, including flights that stay within California, Van Nuys is one of the most prolific empty leg departure hubs tracked by SkyAccess, the world’s largest empty leg marketplace by listing volume.

This is a data story about a specific airport, a specific kind of flight, and the pattern those flights reveal about how private jet operators move aircraft out of Southern California.

What cross-region empty legs actually are

When a certified charter operator completes a paying charter into Los Angeles, the jet frequently needs to reposition elsewhere for its next assignment. Rather than fly that repositioning leg empty, operators list it on SkyAccess at 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter. The traveler gets a discounted whole-aircraft flight; the operator recovers some of the cost of a flight it would otherwise fly empty.

All 4,645 legs in this profile count only cross-region departures from KVNY, meaning flights that leave California and land in another US state, a US territory or another country. Flights to other California airports are excluded. That filter is deliberate: it keeps the focus on legs that connect Los Angeles with markets outside California.

Where Los Angeles empty legs go

The top cross-region destinations by leg count, with every airport listed under the same city counted together, tell a clear story about where private jet traffic out of Van Nuys flows when operators need to reposition their fleets:

• Las Vegas led with 1,026 outbound legs across three airports, Harry Reid International (KLAS), Henderson Executive (KHND) and North Las Vegas (KVGT), appearing in all 12 months of the window.
• Teterboro (KTEB), just outside New York City, attracted 477 legs in all 12 months, the most common transcontinental cross-region corridor out of KVNY.
• Scottsdale (KSDL) received 247 legs and appeared in all 12 months.
• Aspen drew 166 legs and appeared in all 12 months, but the flow is concentrated in ski season: 101 of those legs, or 60.8%, were scheduled to depart between December and March.
• Miami saw 162 legs across three airports (KMIA, KOPF and KTMB) in 11 of the 12 months.
• Salt Lake City, Seattle, Bozeman and Denver collectively accounted for 383 cross-region legs; Salt Lake City, Seattle and Denver appeared in all 12 months and Bozeman in 10.
• San José del Cabo (MMSD), the top international destination in this dataset, drew 101 legs in all 12 months. Cabo San Lucas (MMSL), counted here as a separate city, was the second international destination with 86 legs in 9 months.

The monthly spread and what it signals

Counted as 12 one-month periods starting September 29, 2025, cross-region legs from KVNY were scheduled to depart in every one of the 12 months, indicating a continuous, year-round supply of Los Angeles empty legs rather than a purely seasonal spike. Las Vegas, Teterboro, Scottsdale and Aspen were each active in all 12 months; Miami in 11. Volume was not flat, though. The busiest period, January 29 to February 28, 2026, had 592 legs, while the last three periods, June 29 to September 28, 2026, were the three quietest of the window at 236, 172 and 156 legs. Even so, travelers watching for LA-departure empty legs had departures to choose from in every month, not just during peak travel periods.

The 359 distinct cross-region destination airports reached from KVNY span 29 countries and territories, including the United States. The flow is still concentrated at the top: Las Vegas alone accounts for 1,026 of the 4,645 legs, and the five leading destinations together account for 2,078.

How to use this data

Empty leg supply is not evenly distributed across departure hubs. The 4,645 cross-region legs from KVNY over this 12-month window represent a concentrated pool of discounted whole-aircraft inventory departing a single airport. Travelers with flexibility on timing who frequently fly from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, New York (via Teterboro), Scottsdale, Aspen, or Miami have a structurally higher chance of finding a matching empty leg than on less-trafficked routes.

All SkyAccess flights are operated by certified charter operators, meaning the aircraft, crew, and safety standards are the same as on a full-price charter booking. What differs is the price and the schedule: an empty leg flies a route and departure time set by the operator’s repositioning plan, and the operator can change or cancel it if the original charter changes. SkyAccess lists 5,000+ live empty leg flights from 900+ FAA Part 135 (and international equivalent) certified charter operators.

Travelers book the entire aircraft, not individual seats, and the listed price covers the whole aircraft for that route.

Browse current Los Angeles (Van Nuys) empty leg departures or search the full SkyAccess empty leg marketplace to find available listings now.

Frequently asked questions

Which destinations get the most Los Angeles empty legs?

Counting only legs that leave California, Las Vegas led with 1,026 legs out of Los Angeles (Van Nuys Airport) in the 12 months to September 28, 2026, followed by Teterboro (KTEB, just outside New York City) at 477 legs, Scottsdale at 247 legs, Aspen at 166 legs, and Miami at 162 legs. Together those five destinations account for 2,078 of the 4,645 cross-region empty leg departures tracked from KVNY, or 44.7%.

How many empty leg flights depart Los Angeles?

SkyAccess data shows 4,645 cross-region empty leg departures from Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) in the 12 months to September 28, 2026, reaching 359 distinct destinations. These are cross-region flights only, meaning repositioning legs that leave California and land in another US state, a US territory or another country.

How much can you save on Los Angeles empty leg flights?

Empty legs departing Los Angeles are typically priced 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter on the same aircraft and route. Savings vary based on aircraft type, route, and timing. All bookings cover the entire aircraft, not individual seats.

This data is citable with attribution to SkyAccess. For same-day custom pulls, contact contact@skyaccess.com.