Private jet silhouetted on the apron at sunset

Fly private for 25–75% less on aircraft that are already scheduled to fly.

Empty leg flights and private jet hire, worldwide

Tell us your route and how flexible you are. We look for empty legs that match and quote a standard charter alongside, so you always have a fallback.

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Real repositioning flights.Licensed operators. Honest terms.
On the board this week

Real flights. Real savings.

All 31 empty legs

Listings come from the operators and change daily. Prices are the total for the whole aircraft in GBP, including our booking fee, and are confirmed with the operator before you pay. A flight is booked only once the operator has accepted it. How it works.

What is an empty leg flight?

A jet that has to fly anyway. Now it can fly you.

An empty leg flight is a private jet flight with no passengers booked on it, flown to reposition the aircraft, either back to base after a one-way charter or onward to collect its next client. Because the aircraft must make the journey anyway, operators sell it at a discount, typically 25–75% below the standard charter price for the same route.

What you bookYou book the whole aircraft, one way.
Who sets the scheduleThe schedule is set by the operator.
The riskIf the original booking changes, the empty leg can change too.

Empty Leg Exclusive is an air charter broker, not an aircraft operator or direct air carrier. Empty Leg Exclusive arranges flights on behalf of its clients with independently certified operators, such as FAA Part 135 certificate holders and UK or EU Air Operator Certificate holders, who keep full operational control of every flight. The operating carrier is named on every quote.

Every price is for the whole aircraft. Two of you or twelve, the fare is the same. Read the complete guide to empty leg flights or browse the routes with the most empty legs.

How booking works
Typical saving50 to 75%
below charter.

The operator has already been paid for the original flight.

Every flightLicensed
operators.
Verified aircraft.How we check
The honest trade-off

What you gain. What you give up.

Empty legs are simple, but the industry does not always make them feel that way. We keep the trade-offs visible and the prices honest.

Empty leg against standard charter
Empty legStandard charter
Price25–75% lowerFull rate
ScheduleFixed by the operatorYou choose
RouteFixed, small changes sometimes possibleAny suitable airports
NoticeUsually days aheadHours to months ahead
Risk of changeHigher: depends on another bookingLow
Best forFlexible leisure trips, one-way journeysFixed plans, events, business

The same jet. A fraction of the price.

An empty leg is a real repositioning flight that would otherwise fly with nobody on board. The operator would rather sell it than fly it empty, which is why savings of 50 to 75 percent are routine.

Licensed operators only.

Every flight is operated by a carrier holding a valid Air Operator Certificate. We do not own aircraft and we do not sell seats on aircraft we have not verified.

Honest about the trade-offs.

Empty legs move if the original booking moves. We explain the timing risk on every listing, and we tell you what happens to your money if the flight changes.

Alerts for the routes you fly.

Tell us your regular routes and we will send you a message when a matching empty leg is released, often days before it is advertised anywhere else.

Top cities

Where empty legs come from.

All countries and cities
Empty legs from London Empty legs from Paris Empty legs from Nice Empty legs from Geneva Empty legs from Zurich Empty legs from Milan Empty legs from Ibiza Empty legs from Dubai Empty legs from New York Empty legs from Miami Empty legs from Los Angeles
From enquiry to take-off

Three steps. Usually same day.

Step one
Tell us the route and your flexibility.

Tell us the route, the dates you could travel and passenger numbers. The more dates, nearby airports and aircraft sizes you can accept, the more likely a match.

A two-minute form, or a message to the team.Tell us your trip

Step two
We check repositioning flights.

We check repositioning flights from licensed operators and price a standard charter for comparison, so you always have a fallback.

Only operators holding a valid Air Operator Certificate or FAA Part 135 certificate.

Step three
You choose.

If an empty leg fits, we confirm it with the operator and name the carrier and aircraft on the quote. If none fits, we set an alert for your route and tell you the moment one appears.

Clear terms on timing changes before you commit.
Aircraft on the board

From four seats to a stateroom.

Empty legs appear in every cabin size, from turboprops to ultra-long-range jets. Here is what each category means in practice.

Turboprop6–9 seats

Propeller aircraft with turbine engines. Slower than a jet, cheaper to run, and able to use far more airfields. Typical aircraft: Pilatus PC-12 NGX, Beechcraft King Air 350i, Daher TBM 960.

Explore turboprops
Very light jet4–5 seats

The smallest jets in the fleet. Fast, efficient and ideal for short hops with a few passengers and light luggage. Typical aircraft: Cessna Citation Mustang, Embraer Phenom 100, HondaJet Elite.

Explore very light jets
Light jet6–8 seats

The workhorse of European private aviation and the category with the most empty legs. Comfortable for up to three hours. Typical aircraft: Cessna Citation CJ3+ / CJ4, Embraer Phenom 300E, Bombardier Learjet 75.

Explore light jets
Midsize jet7–9 seats

More cabin, more range and more baggage. The step up for groups or anyone flying three to four hours. Typical aircraft: Cessna Citation XLS+ / Latitude, Embraer Praetor 500, Hawker 800XP / 900XP.

Explore midsize jets
Super-midsize jet8–10 seats

Wide cabins that can cross the Atlantic. The sweet spot between comfort and cost for long flights. Typical aircraft: Bombardier Challenger 3500, Embraer Praetor 600, Cessna Citation Longitude.

Explore super-midsize jets
Heavy jet10–14 seats

Intercontinental range, separate cabin zones and a cabin attendant. Empty legs on heavy jets are the biggest single savings on the board. Typical aircraft: Bombardier Challenger 650, Dassault Falcon 900LX, Embraer Legacy 650.

Explore heavy jets
Ultra-long-range jet12–19 seats

The flagships. Non-stop from London to Los Angeles, Singapore or Cape Town with a bedroom on board. Typical aircraft: Bombardier Global 7500, Gulfstream G650ER / G700, Dassault Falcon 8X.

Explore ultra-long-range jets
Cost snapshot

What an hour costs.

Published hourly-rate bands applied to a one-hour sector. Listed flights on the board show the operator’s actual price instead.

Cost snapshot by category for a one-hour sector
Aircraft categorySeatsOne hour, one way (est.)One hour as an empty leg (est.)
Turboprop6–9£1,499–£2,323 ($2,000–$3,100)£375–£1,724 ($500–$2,300)
Very light jet4–5£2,023–£2,623 ($2,700–$3,500)£525–£1,948 ($700–$2,600)
Light jet6–8£2,623–£4,122 ($3,500–$5,500)£674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100)
Midsize jet7–9£3,747–£5,995 ($5,000–$8,000)£974–£4,496 ($1,300–$6,000)
Super-midsize jet8–10£5,620–£8,243 ($7,500–$11,000)£1,424–£6,220 ($1,900–$8,300)
Heavy jet10–14£6,745–£11,241 ($9,000–$15,000)£1,724–£8,468 ($2,300–$11,300)
Ultra-long-range jet12–19£10,491–£16,487 ($14,000–$22,000)£2,623–£12,365 ($3,500–$16,500)

Model estimate, not a quote. See how we calculate prices.

The full cost guide   Safety and operator vetting

Before you book

Know the trade-offs.

All insights
Common questions

Before you enquire.

Six questions people ask first

What is an empty leg flight?

An empty leg flight is a private jet flight with no passengers booked on it, flown to reposition the aircraft, either back to base after a one-way charter or onward to collect its next client. Because the aircraft must make the journey anyway, operators sell it at a discount, typically 25–75% below the standard charter price for the same route.

Why are empty leg flights so cheap?

Because the flight happens regardless. The original charter customer has already paid for the aircraft to reposition, so any revenue from the empty sector is extra for the operator.

How much can you save with an empty leg?

Typically 25–75% against the standard one-way charter price for the same aircraft and route. The largest discounts appear close to departure on routes with little demand. Popular routes at peak times are discounted less.

Do you pay per seat or for the whole aircraft?

Almost always the whole aircraft. An empty leg on an eight-seat jet costs the same for one passenger or eight, which is why empty legs work best for groups. A few operators and apps sell single seats on selected flights; where that applies, the listing says so.

Can an empty leg flight be cancelled?

Yes. An empty leg exists only because of another customer’s booking. If that customer changes date or route, or cancels, the empty leg may be rescheduled or withdrawn. Refund terms are set out in your charter agreement, and consequential costs such as hotels or replacement flights are not normally covered. Check the terms before you pay. No audited industry cancellation rate is published.

How far in advance are empty legs available?

Most appear between a few days and about two weeks before departure, because they depend on other bookings being confirmed. Some are published 24–48 hours ahead.

Sources

  1. Business Travel Executive, "Empty Legs, Empty Promises?", 2023-02-02 (accessed 2026-09-20). XO estimate that 30–50% of the charter fleet often flies empty; Victor on savings of up to 75%; Chapman Freeborn on change and cancellation risk.
  2. Stratos Jets, "Empty-leg Flights: The No. 1 Risk and How to Save Money", 2024-05-07 (accessed 2026-09-20). Estimate that nearly 30% of private flights are empty; savings of up to 75%; some legs published only a day ahead.
  3. Paramount Business Jets, "Private Jet Rental | Jet Cost & Hourly Rates (2026)", 2026-08 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  4. Amalfi Jets, "Private Jet Cost Per Hour 2026: Rates by Jet Type", 2026-06-15 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  5. Jetvice, "Private Jet Charter Hourly Rates 2026", 2026-09-01 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  6. European Central Bank euro foreign exchange reference rates (via frankfurter.dev), 2026-09-18 (accessed 2026-09-20). Rates used for USD, EUR and GBP conversions.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.

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Your next flight. Let’s find it.

Tell us where you want to go and when. We will check the empty legs that fit and reply the same day.

  • Licensed operators only
  • Same-day replies
  • Whole-aircraft pricing, no seat fees
We reply the same day, usually within the hour during office hours.