How Much Do Empty Leg Flights Cost? A 2026 Pricing Breakdown
Empty leg pricing isn't anchored to a fixed dollars-per-hour rate. It's a function of the operator's positioning cost on the specific leg, the time-to-departure discount window, and the corridor's competitive dynamics. This guide breaks down the pricing math by aircraft category, walks through what drives variance, and gives you the comparison framework to evaluate any listed price.
By SkyAccess Editorial · Empty Leg Marketplace Team · May 24, 2026
Key takeaways
- Light jet empty leg:
- $5,000–$15,000 typical
- Midsize jet empty leg:
- $9,000–$22,000 typical
- Super midsize empty leg:
- $13,000–$32,000 typical
- Heavy jet empty leg:
- $22,000–$55,000 typical
- All-in tax/fee load:
- FET 7.5% + segment fee + landing/ramp
Pricing by aircraft category
Turboprop (King Air 350, Pilatus PC-12, TBM 940). Empty legs typically $2,500–$7,500 per leg for trips under 2 hours. Best for short hops (under 600 NM) and smaller airports. Most economical category for 4-6 passengers on regional trips.
Light jet (Citation CJ3+, Phenom 300, Learjet 75). Empty legs typically $5,000–$15,000 per leg for trips of 1-3 hours. The workhorse of the empty-leg market — most inventory on US corridors is light jets. Best for 4-6 passengers, regional + transcontinental possible with a fuel stop.
Midsize jet (Citation XLS+, Hawker 800XP, Praetor 500). Empty legs typically $9,000–$22,000 per leg for trips of 2-4 hours. Coast-to-coast non-stop typically requires this category or larger. Cabin volume jumps significantly over light jets — better for trips over 2 hours.
Super midsize jet (Citation Sovereign+, Challenger 350, Praetor 600). Empty legs typically $13,000–$32,000 per leg for trips of 3-5 hours. Coast-to-coast non-stop with full payload. Stand-up cabin, lavatory, galley. Common choice for executive trips.
Heavy jet (Gulfstream G450/G550, Falcon 7X, Challenger 605). Empty legs typically $22,000–$55,000 per leg for trips of 4-7 hours. Transcontinental and most transatlantic. Full crew (including flight attendant), full catering, 10-14 passenger capacity.
Ultra long range (Gulfstream G650/G700, Bombardier Global 7500, Falcon 8X). Empty legs typically $40,000–$110,000+ per leg. Transpacific and any-route-on-earth capability. Smallest empty-leg category by volume — the discount on these is usually 15–35% off retail rather than 50–80%, because operators rarely fly them empty.
What drives variance within a category
Time to departure. The single biggest variance driver. Same aircraft, same route, can land 40-60% lower at 24 hours out than at 14 days out. Operators reprice as the departure window closes.
Route popularity. Heavy-traffic corridors have more inventory and more aggressive repricing. Empty legs on positioning-dense routes (Northeast ↔ Florida, LA ↔ Vegas, NYC ↔ Hamptons) tend to clear at 50–70% off retail. Sparse-corridor empty legs (low-traffic city pairs) clear at 25–40% off retail because operators have less competitive pressure.
Aircraft hour cost on the specific airframe. Same category, different airframes have different operating costs. A 20-year-old Citation X has higher fuel burn per hour than a 5-year-old Citation Latitude; the empty-leg pricing reflects that.
Operator's fleet utilization. Operators with high overall fleet utilization can be choosier about which positioning legs they publish and at what price. Operators with lower utilization are more aggressive sellers.
What's included in the price
The displayed empty-leg price should be the all-in price: aircraft hour cost, crew, fuel, positioning (already absorbed by the originating booking), landing and ramp fees, ground handling, federal excise tax (7.5% on domestic charter), and the segment fee (~$5/passenger/segment). Confirm in writing before booking.
What's typically NOT included: catering beyond the operator's standard package, international customs and overflight fees, de-icing in winter, wifi (some operators include, some bill separately), and any ground transport. Ask the operator for the full list of potential add-ons before booking.
Tipping. The crew on a private charter does not expect a tip; operators pay crew salaries. Some passengers tip the captain $100-$500 for a long trip with extra service; it's discretionary, not expected. Catering and FBO services are billed by the vendor and tipping is at customer discretion.
Comparison framework
Quote retail on the same trip. Reputable marketplaces let you compare an empty-leg quote against a same-date on-demand charter quote on the same aircraft category, same route. The discount percentage is the cleanest signal of whether the empty leg is a real deal.
Look at per-hour cost. An empty leg priced at $12,000 for a 3-hour flight is $4,000/hr. The same aircraft retail-chartered would be $9,000-$12,000/hr. The empty-leg per-hour cost should land 50-70% below retail. If it's only 20% below, it's not a strong deal.
Compare across categories. Sometimes a midsize jet empty leg is cheaper than a light jet retail charter on the same route, because the midsize has positioning supply and the light jet doesn't. Don't anchor to a single category if your group can flex.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an empty leg flight cost?
- It depends on aircraft category, route, and time to departure. Typical ranges: $2,500–$7,500 for a turboprop, $5,000–$15,000 for a light jet, $9,000–$22,000 for a midsize, $13,000–$32,000 for a super midsize, $22,000–$55,000 for a heavy jet, and $40,000–$110,000+ for an ultra-long-range jet.
- Why are some empty legs more expensive than others?
- Variance within a category is driven mostly by time to departure, route popularity, the specific airframe's operating cost, and the operator's fleet utilization. Same aircraft, same route can vary 40-60% based on how close to departure the leg is.
- Are there hidden fees on empty leg flights?
- There shouldn't be, but lower-curation channels sometimes show base price only and add fuel surcharge, federal excise tax, and segment fees at checkout. Always confirm the all-in price in writing before booking. Reputable marketplaces display the all-in price by default.
Glossary references
Related guides
- Are empty legs worth it?
Empty legs are worth it when your schedule is flexible and your route maps to operator positioning patterns. Here's the decision framework — including when to skip and pay retail.
- Empty leg vs charter
Empty legs are 25–80% cheaper than on-demand charter but trade schedule control. Here's the side-by-side comparison on price, flexibility, aircraft choice, and cancellation risk.
- Best time to book
The best time to book an empty leg is 24–72 hours before departure, when operators reprice unsold inventory. Here's why — and the booking-window rules for different corridor types.
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