Empty leg flights in United Kingdom.
Empty leg flights in United Kingdom are discounted one-way private jet flights created when aircraft reposition between bookings at London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and 1 other city. They typically cost 25–75% less than a standard charter. The United Kingdom recorded 48,965 private jet departures in the first half of 2024, second in Europe to France.
| Cities covered | London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester |
|---|---|
| Airports | 12 |
| Terminology | “Private jet hire” is the usual term; “charter” is also used |
| Prices shown in | GBP with USD in brackets |
| Empty legs on the board today | 0 |
| Private jet departures, H1 2024 | 48,965 (Blacklane, 2026) |
Which cities in United Kingdom have empty leg flights?
4 cities in United Kingdom are covered, led by London.
Which airports in United Kingdom handle private jets?
12 airports across 4 cities, 5 of them business-aviation airports.
| Airport | Codes | City | Longest runway |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Luton Airport | EGGW / LTN | London | 2,162 m |
| Farnborough Airport | EGLF / FAB | London | 2,440 m |
| London Biggin Hill Airport | EGKB / BQH | London | 1,806 m |
| London Stansted Airport | EGSS / STN | London | 3,049 m |
| London Oxford Airport | EGTK / OXF | London | 1,526 m |
| RAF Northolt | EGWU / NHT | London | 1,690 m |
| London City Airport | EGLC / LCY | London | 1,508 m |
| London Heathrow Airport | EGLL / LHR | London | 3,901 m |
| London Gatwick Airport | EGKK / LGW | London | 3,317 m |
| Birmingham Airport | EGBB / BHX | Birmingham | 3,052 m |
| Edinburgh Airport | EGPH / EDI | Edinburgh | 2,558 m |
| Manchester Airport | EGCC / MAN | Manchester | 3,050 m |
Airport data from OurAirports (OurAirports open data (public domain), 2026).
Which domestic routes produce empty legs in United Kingdom?
The domestic pair with the largest markets at both ends is London to Birmingham, 88 nautical miles.
| Route | Distance | Block time | Empty leg (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Birmingham | 88 nm | 0h 29m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Birmingham to London | 88 nm | 0h 29m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Manchester | 141 nm | 0h 37m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Manchester to London | 141 nm | 0h 37m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Edinburgh | 288 nm | 1h 01m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Edinburgh to London | 288 nm | 1h 01m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Manchester to Birmingham | 61 nm | 0h 25m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Birmingham to Manchester | 61 nm | 0h 25m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Manchester to Edinburgh | 152 nm | 0h 39m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Edinburgh to Manchester | 152 nm | 0h 39m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
Model estimate, not a quote. See how we calculate prices.
Which international routes from United Kingdom have the most empty legs?
London to Paris leads, with London to Geneva, London to Zurich, London to Milan close behind.
| Route | Distance | Block time | Empty leg (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Paris | 185 nm | 0h 44m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Geneva | 403 nm | 1h 19m | £899–£4,047 ($1,200–$5,400) |
| London to Zurich | 419 nm | 1h 21m | £899–£4,197 ($1,200–$5,600) |
| London to Milan | 518 nm | 1h 37m | £1,049–£5,021 ($1,400–$6,700) |
| London to Nice | 555 nm | 1h 43m | £1,124–£5,321 ($1,500–$7,100) |
| London to Ibiza | 759 nm | 2h 15m | £1,499–£6,969 ($2,000–$9,300) |
| London to Brussels | 173 nm | 0h 42m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Amsterdam | 192 nm | 0h 45m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Dublin | 250 nm | 0h 55m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Düsseldorf | 259 nm | 0h 56m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| London to Luxembourg | 264 nm | 0h 57m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
| Birmingham to Paris | 271 nm | 0h 58m | £674–£3,072 ($900–$4,100) |
Model estimate, not a quote. See how we calculate prices.
Questions about empty legs in United Kingdom
Which cities in United Kingdom have the most empty legs?
London, Birmingham, Edinburgh are the largest private jet markets in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
Both are understood. “Private jet hire” is the everyday term in United Kingdom; “charter” is the industry term and appears on contracts.
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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