Empty leg flights in Canada.
Empty leg flights in Canada are discounted one-way private jet flights created when aircraft reposition between bookings at Montreal, Toronto. They typically cost 25–75% less than a standard charter. Canada recorded just under 102,000 private jet departures in the first half of 2024, second only to the United States.
| Cities covered | Montreal, Toronto |
|---|---|
| Airports | 3 |
| Terminology | “Private jet charter” is the usual term |
| Prices shown in | USD |
| Empty legs on the board today | 0 |
| Private jet departures, H1 2024 | just under 102,000 (Blacklane, 2026) |
Which cities in Canada have empty leg flights?
2 cities in Canada are covered, led by Montreal.
Which airports in Canada handle private jets?
3 airports across 2 cities, 1 of them business-aviation airports.
| Airport | Codes | City | Longest runway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport | CYUL / YUL | Montreal | 3,353 m |
| Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | CYTZ / YTZ | Toronto | 1,216 m |
| Toronto Pearson International Airport | CYYZ / YYZ | Toronto | 3,389 m |
Airport data from OurAirports (OurAirports open data (public domain), 2026).
Which domestic routes produce empty legs in Canada?
The domestic pair with the largest markets at both ends is Toronto to Montreal, 271 nautical miles.
| Route | Distance | Block time | Empty leg (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto to Montreal | 271 nm | 0h 58m | $900–$4,100 |
| Montreal to Toronto | 271 nm | 0h 58m | $900–$4,100 |
Model estimate, not a quote. See how we calculate prices.
Which international routes from Canada have the most empty legs?
Montreal to New York leads, with Toronto to New York, Toronto to Miami, Montreal to Miami close behind.
| Route | Distance | Block time | Empty leg (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal to New York | 288 nm | 1h 01m | $900–$4,100 |
| Toronto to New York | 298 nm | 1h 02m | $900–$4,300 |
| Toronto to Miami | 1,075 nm | 3h 05m | $2,700–$12,700 |
| Montreal to Miami | 1,227 nm | 3h 29m | $3,100–$14,300 |
| Toronto to Los Angeles | 1,887 nm | 4h 51m | $6,100–$29,100 |
| Montreal to Los Angeles | 2,141 nm | 5h 28m | $6,900–$32,900 |
| Montreal to Boston | 218 nm | 0h 49m | $900–$4,100 |
| Toronto to Washington, D.C. | 306 nm | 1h 03m | $900–$4,400 |
| Toronto to Boston | 374 nm | 1h 14m | $1,100–$5,100 |
| Toronto to Chicago | 379 nm | 1h 15m | $1,100–$5,200 |
| Montreal to Washington, D.C. | 425 nm | 1h 22m | $1,200–$5,600 |
| Montreal to Chicago | 646 nm | 1h 57m | $1,700–$8,000 |
Model estimate, not a quote. See how we calculate prices.
Questions about empty legs in Canada
Which cities in Canada have the most empty legs?
Montreal, Toronto are the largest private jet markets in Canada covered on this site, and positioning flights follow that traffic. City pages list the airports and routes for each.
Do I say private jet hire or charter in Canada?
“Charter” is the usual term in Canada; “hire” and “rental” are understood and mean the same thing.
Are empty leg flights safe?
Yes. They are flown by the same licensed operators, crews and aircraft as full-price charters, under the same regulations: FAA Part 135 in the United States and an Air Operator Certificate in the UK and EU. The discount reflects scheduling, not standards.
What documents do I need?
A passport for international flights and government photo ID for domestic flights. Visa rules are the same as for airline travel.
Sources
- OurAirports open data (public domain), 2026-09-20 (accessed 2026-09-20). Airport codes, coordinates, elevation and runway lengths.
- Wikidata (CC0), 2026-09-20 (accessed 2026-09-20). City-centre coordinates used for airport-to-city distances.
- 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.
- 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.
- Blacklane, "The World’s Busiest Private Jet Airports – 2026 Guide" (citing Private Jet Card Comparisons), 2026-08-27 (accessed 2026-09-20). Private jet departures in the first half of 2024: United States over 1.5 million, Canada just under 102,000, France 56,294, United Kingdom 48,965, Australia 44,448, Germany 43,471, Mexico 41,694. The article is a 2026 update but the country figures it quotes are for H1 2024.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.
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