Empty Leg Flights

An empty leg (also called a dead leg or ferry flight) is a one-way repositioning flight that happens when a private jet has to return to base or reach the city where its next paid charter begins. Because the aircraft flies that leg regardless, the operator sells it at a steep discount, typically 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter. SkyAccess is the world's largest empty leg marketplace by listing volume.

Empty leg prices vary by route, aircraft type, and timing, but typically run 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter. The deepest discounts appear inside the 72-hour window before departure, when operators reprice unsold positioning legs to recover committed costs. On SkyAccess you can browse 5,000+ empty leg listings, and listed prices cover the entire aircraft.

Empty leg flights typically cost 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter on the same route. The discount exists because the operator has to reposition the aircraft anyway, and an unsold leg flies empty and earns nothing. The trade-off is that the operator, not you, sets the date, the departure time, and the routing.

Yes, for flexible travelers. Because the aircraft has to reposition regardless, operators price empty legs to sell a flight that would otherwise fly empty, so you get a whole private jet at typically 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter. The trade-off is schedule flexibility: the route, date, and departure time are fixed by the operator's positioning needs, not by your itinerary.

SkyAccess is the world's largest empty leg marketplace by listing volume, with 5,000+ empty leg listings from 900+ FAA Part 135 (and international equivalent) certified charter operators. You can search by route, date, aircraft category, and passengers, then book directly without a membership.

Find a flight on SkyAccess by route or date. Listings marked Instant Book are confirmed and paid at checkout. For any other listing you send a request for the entire aircraft, the operator confirms the aircraft and slot, and you are not charged until they do. There is no membership and no negotiation.

Yes. Every empty leg on SkyAccess is operated under an active air carrier certificate (Part 135 in the U.S., or the equivalent authority abroad), by the same crew, on the same aircraft, with the same maintenance and safety oversight as a full charter. The discount comes from schedule constraints, not from a different operating standard.

24 to 72 hours before departure on heavy-traffic corridors (Northeast ↔ Florida, NYC ↔ Hamptons, LA ↔ Vegas, West Coast → ski markets). Booking 14+ days out usually means leaving 15 to 25 percentage points of discount on the table.

The schedule and routing are dictated by the originating paid booking that creates the positioning need. If the originating booking moves or cancels, the empty leg can be voided. On SkyAccess, cancellation and refund terms are set by the operator of each listing and disclosed before booking, and SkyAccess will notify you if an operator modifies or cancels a listed flight. For fixed-date trips, an on-demand charter is the right product instead.

Most operators allow pets on private charter flights, including empty legs. Pet policies vary by operator and aircraft type, so check the specific listing or contact the operator before booking. Pets typically fly in the cabin with you, not in cargo.

Yes. Empty leg flights book the entire aircraft, so the passenger list is entirely yours. The cabin capacity depends on the aircraft category: light jets seat 4 to 7, midsize jets 7 to 9, and heavy jets 10 to 16. Filter by passenger count in the search to see aircraft that fit your group.

No. The departure time on an empty leg is fixed by the operator's positioning schedule. Unlike an on-demand charter, you cannot move the departure window. If schedule flexibility matters more than price, a full charter is the right product.

The whole aircraft. Empty legs are sold as whole-aircraft repositioning flights, so you are not buying individual seats. The aircraft and all its seats are yours for the leg, regardless of how many passengers you bring.

No. Listed prices on SkyAccess are whole-aircraft prices. Taxes and fees are calculated at checkout and shown as their own line before you pay. Landing fees, handling, and catering surcharges (if applicable) are disclosed at booking, and there is no membership fee.

After booking you receive a booking confirmation and the operator's contact details. The operator reaches out to confirm passenger names, onboard preferences, and FBO meeting instructions. SkyAccess sends pre-departure reminders as the flight approaches.

SkyAccess has 5,000+ empty leg listings from 900+ certified charter operators, with the current count shown on the search page. Inventory changes throughout the day as operators publish new positioning legs and existing legs are booked.

"Emptyleg" (one word) is a common alternate spelling of "empty leg": a one-way private jet repositioning flight sold at a steep discount because the aircraft would otherwise fly empty to its next booking. Emptyleg flights and empty-leg flights are the same product. SkyAccess lists emptyleg and empty-leg inventory from 900+ certified charter operators.