Empty Leg Flights: The Art of Catching a Private Jet on Sale

Empty leg private jet charters are a familiar option for anyone who’s spent significant time around private aviation, but what are they exactly? The concept is simple: when a jet is booked for a one-way trip, it often has to fly back empty, or reposition for its next flight. That leg, with no passengers on board, is then offered by the operator at a steep discount.

It sounds like a win-win, and often it is. But empty legs aren’t tailored travel experiences, rather they’re opportunities for significant value on your flight, but can come with limitations. Most empty legs come with a set route and schedule already in place, which can be a great fit for travelers with flexible plans or open-ended itineraries.

While an Empty Leg Flight may not always work for your trip, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth considering. For the right kind of traveler—flexible, opportunistic, and informed—empty legs can be a smart, cost-effective way to fly private. The key is understanding exactly what they are and what they are not.

What Is an Empty Leg Flight?

Every time a private jet completes a one-way trip, it needs to reposition itself for its next mission. That return leg, flying without passengers, is known as an "empty leg." It’s a necessary part of operations for operators, but it’s also an inefficiency in how private aviation operates. That aircraft, its crew, and all the associated costs are still in motion, but generating zero revenue without passengers on board.

To offset that cost, many operators offer those repositioning legs to other travelers at significantly reduced prices in an attempt to get someone on the plane. We’re talking up to 75% off the regular charter rate. It’s essentially the private aviation equivalent of a flash sale.

Of course, you’re not booking many empty leg flights with the same control as a traditional private jet charter. The route is already set, sometimes allowing for slight adjustments. The time is often fixed as well, though with the right connections these are often flexible. So, yes, empty legs are an opportunity. But they are one that works best when you understand its limitations.

Why Empty Leg Flights Can Be a Great Deal

The first and most obvious benefit of empty leg flights is the price. If a charter normally costs $20,000, you might see an empty leg priced at $6,000 or even less. That’s a massive discount — and for some travelers, it makes private aviation accessible in a way it otherwise wouldn’t be.

Even better? You’re still getting the full private jet experience. The same jet. The same crew. The same convenience. That means you’re skipping the commercial terminal, boarding just minutes before takeoff, and cruising in complete privacy. For leisure travelers with flexible plans, or business flyers looking to catch a last-minute meeting in another city, that’s an unbeatable value. While there won’t always be the right leg available when you need it, it’s almost always a good idea to check before you book.

Where Empty Leg Flights Get Complicated

Here’s the catch: empty legs are not generally built for convenience, they’re built for efficiency. The jet is going from Point A to Point B whether or not you’re on it, and while the exact departure time may shift a bit to accommodate a traveler, it’s still tied closely to the operator’s schedule.

Then there’s the risk of cancellation. If the original booked leg is cancelled or rescheduled, the empty leg evaporates as well. Since it was never your aircraft to begin with, there’s no backup plan waiting in the wings.

It’s also important to understand that these aren’t always available. They’re tied to the rhythms of the charter business, and sometimes there just aren’t any good matches. That’s where having a well-connected broker becomes critical.

Where Empty Leg Private Jet Charters are the Most Common

While empty legs can pop up anywhere, there are definitely “hot corridors” where they’re most likely to appear. The biggest markets—think New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas—see the most volume, and therefore the most repositioning.

Some of the most frequent empty leg routes include:

• New York to South Florida (and back)
• Los Angeles to Las Vegas
• Dallas to Aspen (especially during ski season)
• Chicago to Scottsdale
• San Francisco to Jackson Hole

These are routes with steady demand and short turnarounds, meaning jets are constantly repositioning and ripe for empty leg opportunities. If you’re flying between any of these cities—or even close to them, you’re already in the game.

Who Should Actually Book Empty Leg Flights

Empty legs aren’t for everyone. If you’ve got a tightly planned schedule, a must-hit deadline, or an inflexible destination, they can introduce more risk than reward. But if you’ve got some wiggle room—or a backup plan—they can be a brilliant travel hack.

We see the best fits with:

• Leisure travelers looking for a spontaneous trip
• Business travelers with flexible windows
• Frequent flyers already planning to fly private, but open to last-minute adjustments
• Adventurers who love the thrill of a deal

In short, the more adaptable you are, the more upside you can unlock.

Finding the Right Empty Leg Takes Work

While there are plenty of aggregator websites and apps claiming to list every empty leg on Earth, the reality is messier. A lot of empty legs are never made public, because they are snatched up quickly. Operators often offer them privately to preferred aviation partners or don’t list them at all if they think they’ll reposition the plane regardless.

That’s why working with a broker isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. A good broker doesn’t just scan listings, they know which operators are moving which aircraft and when. They’re texting dispatchers, checking in with flight departments, and looping you in when a good match for your trip details pops up.

Having a well-connected, talented private aviation advisor on your side is the difference between chasing empty leg listings online and actually booking a jet.

How Just Landed Jets Monitors Empty Leg Flight Opportunities

At Just Landed Jets, we keep our ears to the ground for empty leg opportunities every day. Because of our close relationships with operators, we’re often the first to know when a jet is repositioning, and we’ve built a reputation for connecting the right clients with the right flights fast.

When a member on our team hears of an empty leg from an operator, we immediately share the flight details internally. With the connections that our agents have in the private aviation space, there are not too many empty leg flights that can sneak by us.

We also know how to read between the lines. Sometimes, a “fixed route” has a little flexibility—just enough to get you closer to where you’re trying to go. We help clients take advantage of that nuance to squeeze extra value out of a deal that others might overlook.

Empty Leg Private Jet Charter: A Good Deal If You Know What You’re Doing

Empty leg flights aren’t a shortcut to private aviation, but they are a smart way in if you approach them with the right mindset. You won’t always get the perfect schedule or destination, but when the details of your trip align, you can fly private for what could be considered commercial airline prices.

Empty legs are not a hack, rather they are more of a niche. And like most good niches, it’s best navigated with a guide. At Just Landed Jets, we keep a constant pulse on the market, scan for emerging opportunities, and help our clients get in and out of the sky as smoothly and affordably as possible.

So next time you’re thinking about taking to the skies, reach out to Just Landed Jets to see what’s out there. You might be surprised how far an empty jet can take you.