Region guide

Empty leg flights in North America.

Empty leg flights in North America are discounted one-way private jet flights on aircraft repositioning between bookings across 2 countries and 12 cities covered here, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.. They typically cost 25–75% less than a standard charter. The United States alone recorded over 1.5 million private jet departures in the first half of 2024.

Key facts
Countries	United States, Canada
Cities	12
Empty legs on the board today	0
US private jet departures, H1 2024	over 1.5 million (Blacklane, 2026)

Which countries in North America are covered?

2 countries, each with its own page listing cities, airports and routes.

United States Canada

Which cities in North America have the most empty legs?

Los Angeles, Miami, New York are the largest private jet markets in the region and therefore produce the most positioning flights.

Los Angeles Miami New York Aspen Boston Chicago Dallas Las Vegas Montreal San Francisco Toronto Washington, D.C.

Which routes in North America produce the most empty legs?

New York to Miami heads the list of corridors between the region’s largest private jet markets.

Route	Distance	Block time (light jet)	Empty leg (est., USD)
New York to Miami	949 nm	2h 45m	$2,400–$11,300
Miami to New York	949 nm	2h 45m	$2,400–$11,300
Miami to Los Angeles	2,029 nm	5h 12m	$6,500–$31,200
Los Angeles to Miami	2,029 nm	5h 12m	$6,500–$31,200
New York to Los Angeles	2,125 nm	5h 26m	$6,800–$32,600
Los Angeles to New York	2,125 nm	5h 26m	$6,800–$32,600
New York to Boston	165 nm	0h 41m	$900–$4,100
Boston to New York	165 nm	0h 41m	$900–$4,100
New York to Washington, D.C.	177 nm	0h 43m	$900–$4,100
Washington, D.C. to New York	177 nm	0h 43m	$900–$4,100
Los Angeles to Las Vegas	198 nm	0h 46m	$900–$4,100
Las Vegas to Los Angeles	198 nm	0h 46m	$900–$4,100
New York to Montreal	288 nm	1h 01m	$900–$4,100
Montreal to New York	288 nm	1h 01m	$900–$4,100
New York to Toronto	298 nm	1h 02m	$900–$4,300

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

Questions about empty legs in North America

Where are empty legs most common in North America?

Between the largest private jet markets in the region: Los Angeles, Miami, New York. Positioning flights cluster on the corridors between them and on leisure routes at weekends.

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.

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.

Sources

OurAirports open data (public domain), 2026-09-20 (accessed 2026-09-20). Airport codes, coordinates, elevation and runway lengths.
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.
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.
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.