Empty leg flights are one of the best-kept secrets in private aviation. If your schedule is flexible, you can fly on a private jet at a fraction of the normal cost.
What Is an Empty Leg?
When a private jet is booked one-way, it must fly back to its home base or next pickup location empty. This return flight is called an "empty leg" or "deadhead." The operator would rather sell this flight at a discount than fly empty.
How Much Can You Save?
Typical Discount
30–70% off the standard charter price. A $100,000 flight might be available for $30,000–$70,000 as an empty leg.
Common Routes
NYC→Florida, LA→NYC, London→Dubai, Miami→NYC, Aspen→NYC. High-frequency routes have more empty legs.
Flexibility Required
Empty legs are fixed on a specific date, time, and route. You cannot change the schedule. Flexibility is the trade-off for savings.
How to Find Empty Legs
- Sign up for alerts: Tell us your preferred routes and we will notify you when empty legs become available.
- Check regularly: Empty legs appear and disappear quickly. The best ones are gone within hours.
- Be flexible: If you can fly a day earlier or later, your chances of finding an empty leg increase dramatically.
- One-way only: Empty legs are almost always one-way. You will need to arrange a separate flight for your return.
The Trade-Offs
Empty legs are not for everyone. The schedule is fixed, the aircraft is predetermined, and last-minute cancellations are possible (if the original flight changes). But for flexible travelers, the savings are unmatched.
Empty Leg Alerts
Get notified when your route goes on sale.
Sign up for empty leg alerts and save 30–70% on your next private jet flight.