6–9 seats · 1,000–1,800 nm · 280–330 kt

Turboprops.

See turboprop empty legs

Turboprops propeller aircraft with turbine engines. Slower than a jet, cheaper to run, and able to use far more airfields. They seat 6–9 and fly 1,000–1,800 nm; published 2026 guides put them at $2,000–$3,100 per block hour, so a one-hour empty leg is estimated at £375–£1,724 against £1,499–£2,323 for a standard charter. Typical types: Pilatus PC-12 NGX, Beechcraft King Air 350i, Daher TBM 960.

Seats6–9
Range1,000–1,800 nm
CabinSix to nine seats, stand-up on some types
BaggageAround 40–70 cu ft, plus a nose locker on most types
Speed280–330 kt
Hourly band (2026 guides)$2,000–$3,100 (£1,499–£2,323)
One-hour empty leg (est.)£375–£1,724
Typical aircraftPilatus PC-12 NGX, Beechcraft King Air 350i, Daher TBM 960, Piaggio Avanti EVO
View from above the clouds

What is a turboprop like in practice?

Propeller aircraft with turbine engines. Slower than a jet, cheaper to run, and able to use far more airfields.

A turboprop is not a jet, and we label it plainly rather than bundling it in with the light jets. On a sector under ninety minutes the time difference is small, perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes, while the cost is markedly lower. The real advantage is access: a PC-12 can use short runways that close the nearest jet airport out of the question, which often saves more time on the road than the jet saves in the air. Fractional operators fly large turboprop fleets, so these are among the most common empty legs in Europe.

Best for: Short and medium European sectors, and anywhere the runway is short: alpine strips, island airfields and regional airports a jet cannot use.

How much does a turboprop cost to charter?

Published 2026 guides put turboprops at $2,000–$3,100 per block hour <a class="cite" href="#src-paramount-2026" aria-label="Source: Paramount Business Jets, &quot;Private Jet Rental | Jet Cost &amp; Hourly Rates (2026)&quot;">(Paramount Business Jets, 2026)</a> <a class="cite" href="#src-amalfi-2026" aria-label="Source: Amalfi Jets, &quot;Private Jet Cost Per Hour 2026: Rates by Jet Type&quot;">(Amalfi Jets, 2026)</a>.

A one-hour sector is therefore estimated at $2,000–$3,100 one way and $500–$2,300 as an empty leg, before taxes, positioning and airport fees. Empty legs on the board show the operator’s actual price plus our booking fee.

Turboprop estimates by sector length (USD)
SectorBlock timeOne-way charter (est.)Empty leg (est.)
1 hour (about 195 nm)1h 00m$2,000–$3,100$500–$2,300
2.5 hours (about 585 nm)2h 30m$5,000–$7,800$1,300–$5,900
5 hours (about 1,235 nm)5h 00m$10,000–$15,500$2,500–$11,600

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

Which routes can a turboprop fly non-stop?

10 of the routes on this site are within non-stop range, from Zurich to Milan at 118 nm.

  • Zurich to Milan: 118 nm, about 0h 42m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Milan to Zurich: 118 nm, about 0h 42m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Geneva to Zurich: 121 nm, about 0h 43m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Zurich to Geneva: 121 nm, about 0h 43m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Nice to Milan: 134 nm, about 0h 46m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Milan to Nice: 134 nm, about 0h 46m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Geneva to Milan: 135 nm, about 0h 46m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Milan to Geneva: 135 nm, about 0h 46m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Nice to Geneva: 157 nm, about 0h 51m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300
  • Geneva to Nice: 157 nm, about 0h 51m, empty leg estimated at $500–$2,300

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

How does a turboprop compare with the other categories?

Its nearest neighbour is the very light jet.

CategorySeatsRangeHourly band (USD)
Turboprop6–91,000–1,800 nm$2,000–$3,100
Very light jet4–5Up to 1,100 nm$2,700–$3,500
Light jet6–81,500–2,000 nm$3,500–$5,500
Midsize jet7–92,000–2,800 nm$5,000–$8,000
Super-midsize jet8–103,200–3,900 nm$7,500–$11,000
Heavy jet10–144,000–5,000 nm$9,000–$15,000
Ultra-long-range jet12–196,000–7,700 nm$14,000–$22,000

Turboprop empty legs on the board

14 turboprop empty legs are on the board today.

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.

Questions about turboprops

Is a turboprop as safe as a jet?

Yes. Turboprops are flown by the same licensed operators under the same rules, and types like the PC-12 have a long safety record. The engine is a turbine, the same technology as a jet, driving a propeller instead of a fan.

How much slower is a turboprop?

Cruise is roughly 280 to 330 knots against 400 to 480 for a jet. On a one-hour sector that is about fifteen minutes. On a three-hour sector it matters more, and a jet is usually the better choice.

Why would I choose a turboprop over a light jet?

Cost and airfield access. Turboprop empty legs are frequently under £2,500 for the whole aircraft, and they can use short runways closer to where you are actually going.

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.

Sources

  1. Paramount Business Jets, "Private Jet Rental | Jet Cost & Hourly Rates (2026)", 2026-08 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  2. Amalfi Jets, "Private Jet Cost Per Hour 2026: Rates by Jet Type", 2026-06-15 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  3. Pilatus PC-12 (accessed 2026-09-20)
  4. Wikipedia: Turboprop (accessed 2026-09-20)

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

Other categories

Sample routes

Cost

Get a quote

A turboprop for your trip.

Tell us the route and dates. We will send you the empty legs in this category that fit, and a charter price for comparison.

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