How we calculate prices.
Every price on Empty Leg Exclusive that is not a listed empty leg is a model estimate. The model takes the great-circle distance between two city centres, converts it to block time using a typical speed for each aircraft category plus a quarter-hour taxi allowance, multiplies by published hourly-rate bands, and models an empty leg at 25–75% below that one-way estimate. Nothing on the site is a quote until an operator has confirmed it.
| Distance | Great-circle (haversine) between city-centre coordinates from Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Block time | distance ÷ block speed + 0.25 h; minimum 1.0 h billable |
| Non-stop test | distance ≤ 85% of the category’s upper range |
| One-way charter band | billable hours × hourly low … hourly high |
| Empty leg band | charter low × 0.25 … charter high × 0.75 |
| Rounding | Nearest 100 in the display currency |
| Exchange rates | ECB reference rates, 2026-09-18 |
| Routes modelled | 2,278 city pairs |
How is distance calculated?
As the great-circle distance between the two city centres, using the haversine formula on Wikidata coordinates.
City-centre coordinates come from Wikidata (Wikidata (CC0), 2026) and airport coordinates, elevations and runway lengths from OurAirports (OurAirports open data (public domain), 2026), both open data. Distances are shown in nautical miles, statute miles and kilometres. Actual routings are longer than the great circle because of airways and weather, which is one reason the estimate is a band.
How is block time calculated?
Block time is distance divided by a typical block speed for the category, plus 15 minutes for taxi, with a minimum of 1 billable hour.
Block speeds are planning figures that already allow for climb and descent, so they sit below cruise speed. A flight is treated as non-stop when the distance is no more than 85% of the category’s upper typical range, which leaves a reserve for winds and alternates. Categories that cannot fly a route non-stop are shown as needing a fuel stop and are not priced for that route.
| Category | Hourly band (USD) | Block speed | Typical range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop | $2,000–$3,100 | 260 kt | 1,000–1,800 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) |
| Very light jet | $2,700–$3,500 | 330 kt | 1,000–1,300 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) |
| Light jet | $3,500–$5,500 | 380 kt | 1,500–2,000 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) (Jetvice, 2026) |
| Midsize jet | $5,000–$8,000 | 410 kt | 2,000–3,000 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) (Jetvice, 2026) |
| Super-midsize jet | $7,500–$11,000 | 440 kt | 3,000–3,600 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) (Jetvice, 2026) |
| Heavy jet | $9,000–$15,000 | 460 kt | 4,000–6,000 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) (Jetvice, 2026) |
| Ultra-long-range jet | $14,000–$22,000 | 480 kt | 6,000–7,700 nm | (Paramount Business Jets, 2026) (Amalfi Jets, 2026) (Jetvice, 2026) |
Where do the hourly rates come from?
From three hourly-rate guides published in 2026, compared category by category.
For each category the model band is the median of the guides’ low figures and the median of their highs. The Jetvice guide is published in euros and was converted at the European Central Bank rate before comparison. Where a guide does not cover a category the band rests on fewer sources, which the constants table shows. Bands are reviewed quarterly against guides published within the previous twelve months.
| Source | Date | Currency | Bands published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount Business Jets, "Private Jet Rental | Jet Cost & Hourly Rates (2026)" | 2026-08 | USD | Turboprop 2,300–3,500; Very light jet 2,900–3,400; Light jet 3,750–4,200; Midsize jet 4,700–5,500; Super-midsize jet 6,200–7,500; Heavy jet 8,500–10,000; Ultra-long-range jet 12,000–17,000 |
| Amalfi Jets, "Private Jet Cost Per Hour 2026: Rates by Jet Type" | 2026-06-15 | USD | Turboprop 1,800–2,800; Light jet 3,500–5,500; Midsize jet 5,000–8,000; Super-midsize jet 7,500–11,000; Heavy jet 9,000–15,000; Ultra-long-range jet 14,000–22,000 |
| Jetvice, "Private Jet Charter Hourly Rates 2026: Cost by Aircraft & Flight Length" | 2026-09-01 | EUR | Light jet 3,000–5,000; Midsize jet 5,500–8,500; Super-midsize jet 7,500–11,000; Heavy jet 10,000–15,000; Ultra-long-range jet 14,000–22,000 |
Why 25–75% for empty legs?
Because that is the range published sources and operators consistently describe.
Business Travel Executive reports empty legs at 25–75% below a standard charter and quotes Victor at savings of up to 75% (Business Travel Executive, 2023); Stratos Jets puts the ceiling at 75% (Stratos Jets, 2024). The empty leg band on every page is therefore the charter estimate reduced by 75% at the low end and by 25% at the high end. Listed flights use the operator’s actual price instead.
Which exchange rates are used?
European Central Bank reference rates dated 2026-09-18, refreshed whenever the board is refreshed.
Model bands are held in US dollars because the source guides publish in dollars or euros. Pages for UK routes show pounds sterling first with dollars in brackets; pages for eurozone and Swiss routes show euros first; other pages show dollars. Conversions use the rate on the date shown (ECB, 2026).
What do the estimates leave out?
Taxes, airport-specific fees, positioning on one-way charters, de-icing and catering upgrades.
The published guides agree that the hourly rate is not the final trip price (Amalfi Jets, 2026). US domestic flights carry a 7.5% Federal Excise Tax plus segment fees (Paramount Business Jets, 2026); UK departures carry Air Passenger Duty; EU flights may carry VAT. Landing, handling and parking vary by airport and aircraft weight. Crew overnights, de-icing and peak-event surcharges are charged when they arise. All of these appear on a quote, none on an estimate.
Can I download the route cost index?
Yes: a CSV of all 2,278 modelled city pairs with distance, block time and estimate bands for every category.
Licensed CC BY 4.0. Cite as “Empty Leg Exclusive route cost index, 2026-09-20”. Figures are model estimates, not quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Are the prices on this site quotes?
No. Listed empty legs show the operator’s price plus our booking fee and are confirmed with the operator before you pay. Every other figure is a model estimate built from published hourly rates; the operator’s quote is the only price that counts.
Why do estimates differ from other websites?
Because hourly rates vary by operator, aircraft age, season and region, and because some guides quote flight time while others quote block time or daily minimums. The model uses the median of three published guides and states every constant here so the difference can be traced.
How often are the figures updated?
Exchange rates are refreshed each time the board is refreshed, at least weekly. Hourly-rate bands are reviewed quarterly against guides published within the previous twelve months. The last-reviewed date is shown on every page and changes only when content changes.
Can I download the route estimates?
Yes. The route cost index is a CSV of every modelled city pair with distance, block time and the charter and empty leg bands for each category, licensed CC BY 4.0.
Sources
- Paramount Business Jets, "Private Jet Rental | Jet Cost & Hourly Rates (2026)", 2026-08 (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Amalfi Jets, "Private Jet Cost Per Hour 2026: Rates by Jet Type", 2026-06-15 (accessed 2026-09-20)
- Jetvice, "Private Jet Charter Hourly Rates 2026", 2026-09-01 (accessed 2026-09-20)
- 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.
- Stratos Jets, "Empty-leg Flights: The No. 1 Risk and How to Save Money", 2024-05-07 (accessed 2026-09-20). Estimate that nearly 30% of private flights are empty; savings of up to 75%; some legs published only a day ahead.
- 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.
- 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.
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.
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