How far ahead are empty leg flights published?
Empty leg flights are usually published a few days before departure, with some appearing only hours before and a minority listed weeks ahead by fleet operators. The short notice follows from the product: an empty leg exists only once another client’s one-way charter is confirmed, and its timing stays tied to that booking until departure.
| Typical notice | A few days before departure |
|---|---|
| Shortest notice | Hours |
| Longest notice seen | Several months, on some fleet operators’ lists, subject to change |
| Why the notice is short | The leg exists only once the original one-way charter is confirmed |
| Historical example | JetSmarter posted empty legs one to three days before departure (2015) |
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.
The question of notice decides whether empty legs can fit into your planning at all. The short answer is that most are published a few days out, and the reasons for that are structural rather than a matter of operators being slow. This page sets out what operators and brokers say about timing, why the window is short, where the exceptions are, and how to plan around it.
When are empty leg flights published?
Most empty legs are published a few days before departure, and some appear only hours before.
VistaJet says that the details of an empty leg “generally will not be released until a few days before it is due to depart” (VistaJet, 2026). Magellan Jets says that “some empty legs are listed days in advance while others appear with just hours of notice” (Magellan Jets, 2026). Air Charter Service says that empty legs “usually become available at the last minute, travelling to an already-determined location” (Air Charter Service, 2026). Stratos Jets says that “sometimes, these flights become available only a day in advance” (Stratos Jets, 2026). Four companies that sell empty legs, four versions of the same answer.
Why is the notice so short?
The notice is short because an empty leg does not exist until another client’s one-way charter is confirmed, and its timing stays tied to that booking until departure.
A charter client typically books days to a few weeks ahead. Only once that booking is firm does the operator know that an aircraft will be at a given airport with nothing to do. Even then, the operator often waits, because a standard-price one-way charter in the same direction is worth far more than a discounted empty leg, and listing the leg early forfeits nothing but listing it late costs nothing either. Finally, the departure time depends on the original client. VistaJet notes that “the exact timing of your empty leg flight is based on the original passenger’s flight requirements; therefore, the final availability and departure details might not be available until just before you are due to depart” (VistaJet, 2026). An early listing would be a provisional one.
Can you find empty legs weeks or months ahead?
Yes, on some fleet operators’ lists, but a long-dated empty leg is a forecast, not a confirmed flight.
Fleet operators with predictable patterns, such as aircraft that return to base after regular runs, can list repositioning flights well ahead. When XO opened its empty legs to non-members in August 2019, its listings ranged from the same day to several months out, with flights posted “as far out as December” (Private Jet Card Comparisons, 2019). Ten years earlier the pattern was the opposite: Business Jet Traveler reported in 2015 that JetSmarter posted “more than 1,000 empty-leg flights per month, one to three days before departure” (Business Jet Traveler, 2015). Both can be true at once. Long-dated legs exist where operators plan far ahead; short-dated legs are the bulk of the market.
| Kind of empty leg | Typical notice | How firm the date is |
|---|---|---|
| Return to base after a one-way charter | A few days | Tied to the original client; can move by hours or a day |
| Positioning to collect the next client | Hours to a few days | Tied to the next client; often the last leg to be confirmed |
| Fleet operator’s planned repositioning | Weeks to months | Provisional until close to the date; aircraft may be re-tasked |
| Leg released after a cancellation or maintenance change | Hours | Firm once released, but little time to arrange the trip |
The notice periods in the table describe patterns reported by operators and brokers, not measured averages. No audited dataset of empty leg publication times is published.
When is the price lowest?
No published data shows a reliable pattern, and waiting for a lower price risks losing the flight altogether.
Some sellers price dynamically. Private Jet Card Comparisons reported in 2019 that XO used “a sophisticated AI-driven dynamic pricing model to optimize load factor first and then yield”, which allowed attractive prices closer to departure (Private Jet Card Comparisons, 2019). Other operators quote a fixed price and hold it. For a whole-aircraft empty leg, the more important number is the all-in price, including taxes, fuel and airport fees, at the moment you are ready to commit. If the trip works at that price, book it; a lower price a day later is worth nothing if the aircraft has gone to a full-price client in the meantime.
What is the booking cut-off?
The cut-off is set by the operator for each leg, and is usually a matter of hours before departure rather than days.
Stratos Jets notes that “there is typically a short window of opportunity to take advantage of these flights” (Stratos Jets, 2026). Within that window the operator needs time for crew notification, airport handling and, on international sectors, permits and passenger documentation. A broker can tell you the cut-off for a specific leg. If you are inside it, have passport details, passenger names and payment ready before you ask, because the leg will not wait for paperwork.
How do you plan around short notice?
Plan around it by fixing a flexible window, setting alerts, and holding a fallback that can be released at the last minute.
- Set the window before the search. Decide the earliest and latest day you can leave. Two or three days of slack multiplies the number of usable listings.
- Set alerts on the route in both directions. Operators and brokers offer route alerts; Magellan Jets, for example, gives subscribers early notification of new legs (Magellan Jets, 2026). An alert is the only way to see a leg published 48 hours out in time to act.
- Hold a refundable fallback. An airline ticket or a full charter quote that can be released once the empty leg is confirmed.
- Keep the destination end flexible. Refundable hotels and no fixed-time commitments on the day of travel.
- Be ready to confirm quickly. Names, passport details and payment on hand.
Empty Leg Exclusive is a broker and does not operate aircraft. It arranges flights with licensed operators, FAA Part 135 certificate holders in the United States and Air Operator Certificate holders in the United Kingdom and the EU, publishes legs as operators release them, and states on each listing what the operator’s terms are if the timing moves.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance are empty legs listed?
Usually a few days before departure. VistaJet says details are generally released only a few days out, Magellan Jets says some legs appear with hours of notice, and Air Charter Service says most become available at the last minute. A minority are listed weeks or months ahead by fleet operators, subject to change.
Why can’t operators publish empty legs earlier?
Because the leg exists only once another client’s one-way charter is confirmed, and its departure time stays tied to that client until the day. Operators also prefer to wait in case a standard-price charter appears for the same direction, which is worth more than a discounted empty leg.
Is it cheaper to wait until the last minute?
Sometimes, but no published data shows a reliable pattern. Some platforms price dynamically and cut prices close to departure, as Private Jet Card Comparisons reported of XO in 2019; others hold a fixed price. Waiting risks losing the flight to a full-price client, so book when the all-in price works.
Can I book an empty leg for a trip three months away?
You can search for one, and some fleet operators list legs that far out, but treat any long-dated leg as provisional. Book it if the terms allow a refund if the operator withdraws it, and keep a fallback. Most usable legs will appear in the last week before your date.
Sources
- VistaJet, Empty Legs (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Magellan Jets, Empty Leg Private Flights (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Air Charter Service, Empty legs on private jets – what you should know (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Stratos Jets, Empty-leg Flights: The No. 1 Risk and How to Save Money (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Private Jet Card Comparisons, Vista Global’s XO is now offering empty legs to non-members (28 August 2019) (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Business Jet Traveler, Weighing your options (July 2015) (accessed 2026-09-20)
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.
