Empty Leg Flights United States: 311,238 Private Jet Departures Across 500+ Airports

The United States has more private jet empty legs than any other country. SkyAccess data shows more than 311,000 unique empty legs departing US airports in the 12 months to October 1, 2026, including legs listed for later departure. They span over 500 distinct departure airports from New Jersey to Southern California. That scale means real options for travelers willing to be flexible: empty legs on SkyAccess typically run 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter.

How many empty leg flights originate in the United States?

SkyAccess data recorded 311,238 unique empty legs departing US airports in the 12 months to October 1, 2026, including legs listed for later departure. These are whole-aircraft repositioning flights that FAA Part 135 operators post at a discount when the aircraft needs to fly anyway after a paid trip.

The volume is not evenly spread. The northeastern metro cluster, Teterboro Airport (KTEB) in New Jersey and Westchester County Airport (KHPN) in White Plains, accounts for more than 18,000 departures combined, making greater New York by far the busiest empty-leg origin in the country. Florida is the other dominant pole, with Miami-Opa Locka Executive (KOPF), Naples Municipal (KAPF), President Donald J. Trump International (KDJT) in West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale Executive (KFXE) collectively generating over 22,500 departure-side legs in the same rolling window.

Which US cities generate the most empty leg departures?

Twelve airports each produced more than 3,500 empty-leg departures over the rolling window, based on SkyAccess data published as of October 2026:

• New York (Teterboro, KTEB): 12,428 departures
• Miami (Opa-Locka Executive, KOPF): 8,820 departures
• Los Angeles (Van Nuys, KVNY): 7,736 departures
• Las Vegas (Harry Reid International, KLAS): 6,348 departures
• New York / White Plains (Westchester County, KHPN): 5,691 departures
• Naples, FL (KAPF): 5,121 departures
• West Palm Beach (KDJT): 4,873 departures
• Phoenix / Scottsdale (KSDL): 4,183 departures
• Dallas (Love Field, KDAL): 4,130 departures
• Fort Lauderdale Executive (KFXE): 3,993 departures
• Washington DC area (Dulles, KIAD): 3,721 departures
• Houston (Hobby, KHOU): 3,662 departures
• Austin (KAUS): 3,456 departures
• Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, KFLL): 3,114 departures
• Boston area (Bedford, KBED): 3,102 departures

These counts reflect a rolling flow: repositioning flights that operators post when aircraft need to move for a next paid booking. They are not a live snapshot of available flights, but a measure of how actively each market generates supply.

What drives the geographic concentration?

Private aviation corridors in the US cluster around three dynamics: wealth concentrations (Manhattan, Palm Beach, Beverly Hills), energy and business hubs (Houston, Dallas, Midland), and leisure destinations that draw concentrated seasonal demand (Las Vegas, Scottsdale). Airports like Teterboro exist specifically to serve high-volume business aviation outside congested commercial terminals, which means the repositioning flights they generate flow outward in all directions.

The Florida corridor is particularly productive because of seasonal migration: operators positioning aircraft south for winter clients and north again in spring generate a steady stream of one-way legs in both directions. The same pattern appears in the mountain West, with Aspen, Jackson Hole, and Sun Valley attracting positioning flights across the Rockies.

What does the US empty leg market mean for travelers?

Over 500 distinct US departure airports appeared in the SkyAccess rolling window. The supply is not confined to a handful of coastal hubs. Secondary airports like Santa Ana / John Wayne (KSNA, 2,941 departures), Nashville (KBNA, 2,931), Boca Raton (KBCT, 2,898), San Antonio (KSAT, 2,886), and Stuart FL (KSUA, 2,864) each generated meaningful leg counts over the same period. SkyAccess carries over 5,000 live empty legs at any given time across its global marketplace, and the United States accounts for the large majority of that figure. Explore La Salle flights from Cotulla-La Salle County Airport.

For travelers who can match their schedule to a departing leg, the United States represents the deepest, most geographically diverse empty-leg market in the world by departure volume. Pricing on these legs typically falls 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter for the same route and aircraft type. Explore available US departures at SkyAccess empty leg flights, or browse specific hubs such as Teterboro Airport (KTEB) and Miami Opa-Locka Executive (KOPF).

Frequently asked questions

How many empty leg flights originate in the United States?

SkyAccess data shows 311,238 unique empty legs departing US airports in the 12 months to October 1, 2026, including legs listed for later departure. These departures span more than 500 distinct US origin airports, with the heaviest concentration in the greater New York area, South Florida, and Southern California.

Which US cities have the most empty leg departures?

By departure count in the SkyAccess rolling 12-month window, the top US markets are New York (Teterboro, 12,428 departures), Miami (Opa-Locka Executive, 8,820), Los Angeles (Van Nuys, 7,736), Las Vegas (6,348), and White Plains / New York (Westchester County, 5,691).

How much can you save on United States empty leg flights?

Empty legs on the SkyAccess marketplace typically run 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter for the same route and aircraft type. The exact discount depends on the route, aircraft category, and how closely your travel dates match the operator’s posted departure.

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Updated October 8, 2026: counts now count each unique leg once (duplicate listing copies removed). Counts cover legs departing on or after October 1, 2025 that were listed by October 1, 2026, including legs listed for later departure.

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