How to Find Empty Leg Flights: A Practical Guide
Empty leg flights exist because private jets have to return to base or reposition between charters. The operator gets nothing for that flight unless they sell the seats. That pressure creates one of the few genuine deals in private aviation: whole-aircraft bookings at 25–75% off a standard charter rate.
Finding them is the hard part. The inventory appears and disappears fast, the booking window is short, and most of the good ones never surface on consumer travel sites. Here’s how to actually find them.
Table of contents
- What an Empty Leg Flight Is (and What It Isn’t)
- Where Empty Leg Inventory Actually Lives
- How to Search Effectively
- What Empty Legs Cost
- What to Check Before You Book
- The Honest Trade-off
- Frequently Asked Questions
What an Empty Leg Flight Is (and What It Isn’t)
An empty leg is a repositioning flight that a charter operator makes available for sale. The jet is already going from A to B. You’re filling an otherwise-empty aircraft.
A few things to be clear about:
- You book the whole aircraft, not a single seat. Pricing is per flight, not per passenger.
- Routes are fixed. The departure and arrival points are set by the operator’s schedule.
- Timing is fixed. You depart when the operator needs the jet repositioned. Not when you choose.
- Inventory moves fast. A listing that’s live this morning may be gone by afternoon. According to SkyAccess marketplace data, the typical booking window is 48–72 hours before departure.
If you need flexibility on route or timing, a full charter is the right product. If you can work within a fixed route and short window, an empty leg can save you significantly.
Where Empty Leg Inventory Actually Lives
1. Direct Marketplaces
The most reliable source is a marketplace that pulls live inventory from operators. SkyAccess, an empty leg marketplace, aggregates real-time listings from 900+ certified charter operators globally (FAA Part 135 in the US; EASA AOC, CAA AOC, and equivalents internationally). You browse, select a flight, and book directly. No quote request, no broker call required, all-in pricing.
Other platforms aggregate inventory too. The key question to ask any platform: is this live inventory, or is it a lead-gen form that triggers a phone call? Live inventory platforms let you see the actual jet, route, and price without making contact first.
2. Charter Operators Directly
Some operators publish their own empty legs on their website or mailing list. If you fly a specific route repeatedly (say, New York to Miami), it’s worth contacting two or three operators who fly that corridor regularly and asking to be added to their empty leg notification list. This works best for frequent travelers on predictable routes.
The downside: you only see one operator’s inventory, and availability is unpredictable. For occasional travelers, a marketplace with broad operator coverage is more practical.
3. Broker Networks
Traditional charter brokers sometimes share empty leg availability with their client lists. The advantage is a human who knows your preferences. The disadvantage is that availability is selected. You see what the broker decides to surface, not the full market. Pricing also tends to carry a margin on top of the operator’s asking rate.
4. Alert Services
Several platforms let you set route alerts: enter your city pair, and you get notified when a matching empty leg appears. SkyAccess offers this. So do some independent alert aggregators. Set up alerts for your most common routes and treat them as background. The right flight will appear eventually.
How to Search Effectively
Search by region, not just exact city pair. Empty legs rarely match your ideal route perfectly. A flight from Teterboro (KTEB) to Palm Beach (KPBI) might not exist, but Westchester (KHPN) to Fort Lauderdale (KFLL) might work fine. Look at nearby airports on both ends.
Know your date window. If you have a two-week period where you need to be somewhere, searching that full window dramatically improves your chances over searching a fixed date.
Understand aircraft categories. Light jets (Citation CJ3, Phenom 300) seat 4–8. Midsize jets (Citation XLS, Hawker 800) seat 7–10. If you’re flying solo or with a small group, a light jet empty leg is often the best value per aircraft.
Move quickly. According to SkyAccess data, some empty legs appear within 48 hours of departure. When you find a match, booking hesitation often means someone else takes it. Have a payment method ready.
What Empty Legs Cost
Savings versus a standard charter run 25–75%, depending on route length, aircraft type, and how close to departure you’re booking. The range is wide because it reflects the operator’s position: an operator repositioning a heavy jet over a long route has higher sunk costs and more motivation to discount than one repositioning a light jet on a 30-minute hop.
Standard charter rates for reference (per flight hour, not per empty leg):
- Light jet: $2,000–$6,000/hr
- Midsize jet: $4,000–$8,000/hr
- Heavy jet: $7,000–$13,000/hr
An empty leg on a three-hour heavy jet route might list for what a midsize full charter costs. That’s the math that makes this worth tracking.
What to Check Before You Book
Operator certification. In the US, the operating carrier should hold an FAA Part 135 certificate. On platforms like SkyAccess, this is verified before operators can list. If you’re booking directly through an operator, ask for their certificate number.
All-in pricing. Confirm whether the listed price includes landing fees, fuel surcharges, and taxes. On SkyAccess, pricing is all-in. What you see is what you pay. On some platforms or with some brokers, the quoted price is the operator rate and fees are added at closing.
Cancellation terms. Empty legs have a higher cancellation rate than full charters. The NBAA estimates 10–15% of empty legs are cancelled when the primary charter changes. Understand the operator’s cancellation policy before booking.
Aircraft type and condition. Confirm the specific tail registration or at minimum the aircraft model. Age, cabin configuration, and maintenance history vary. Reputable platforms vet operators; booking direct from an unknown source carries more risk.
The Honest Trade-off
Empty legs are genuinely cheaper than full charters. They are also genuinely less flexible. Route and timing are fixed, cancellation risk is real, and the best listings go fast.
For travelers who fly the same corridors repeatedly, setting up alerts on a platform like SkyAccess and treating empty legs as an opportunity channel is worth the setup time. For travelers who need on-demand availability with guaranteed departure, a full charter or a jet card is probably a better fit.
The deal is real. It just requires working within constraints that most travel products don’t have.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance do empty leg flights get listed?
Most appear 2–14 days before departure, with the majority listed in the 48–72 hour window. Some appear same-day. Setting an alert on SkyAccess means you don’t have to check manually.
Can I choose the departure time on an empty leg?
Generally no. The departure time is set by the operator’s repositioning schedule. Some operators offer a window (e.g., “departs between 8am, 10am”), but you can’t request a custom time.
Do empty legs include catering?
It depends on the operator and the platform. On SkyAccess, catering can be added during booking for many flights. Confirm before booking if this matters to you.
What happens if my empty leg is cancelled?
The operator’s cancellation policy governs this. On SkyAccess, you receive a full refund if the operator cancels. Read the terms before booking. Policies vary by platform.
Is the whole aircraft really mine?
Yes. Empty legs on SkyAccess are whole-aircraft bookings. You’re not sharing with other passengers. Bring 1 or 8 people. The aircraft is yours.
How do I find empty legs near me?
Search by departure airport or region on SkyAccess. Use the “nearby airports” option to expand your search radius. The more flexible you are on exact departure airport, the more inventory you’ll find.
Published by SkyAccess. Data sourced from SkyAccess marketplace and NBAA industry reports.
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