An empty leg is a private flight that is going to happen anyway. When a charter aircraft flies without passengers to collect its next client or to return home, a one-way seat on it can be offered for less than a standard charter. The price is better; the trade is flexibility.
How an empty leg arises
A charter aircraft rarely flies a client out and back in a straight line. After it drops one party at their destination it has to reach the next, and the sector it flies to get there often carries nobody. That is an empty leg. It is not a different kind of aircraft or a different standard of service; it is the same flight, on the sector where nobody was booked.
Why it can cost less
The aircraft and crew are already committed to that flight. A traveller who fits the route fills a seat that would otherwise fly empty, so the price can be set lower than a standard one-way charter, where the cost of positioning the aircraft is part of the price. Our page on what a charter costs explains the positioning cost.
What you give up
- Choice of time. The departure window is set by the aircraft’s plans, not by yours.
- Choice of route. You fly where the aircraft is going, often to or from a particular airport.
- Certainty. If the client’s plans change, the empty leg can change with them, at short notice.
- A return. The aircraft is going one way; you need a separate plan for getting back.
Who it suits
Empty legs suit travellers who can be flexible on the day and the time, who are travelling one way and who are happy to use a nearby airport. They are a poor fit for fixed-time events, for a group that needs a return on the same aircraft or for anything where a late change would cost more than the saving. If you are comparing, seven ways to reduce the cost of a private jet charter sets out the other options.
Common misunderstandings
- “It is a secret price list.” It is not. What is available changes by the day, and so does the price.
- “It is a lower standard of flight.” It is the same aircraft, crew and flight; only the passengers on that sector are missing.
- “I can pick my own time.” You choose within what the aircraft is doing, which may be a window rather than a time.
- “It is always there.” Whether an empty leg exists on your route and date depends on other clients’ plans.
Questions to ask us
When you enquire, ask what flights are available on your route and in what window, how firm they are, what alternatives we would quote, and what happens if the flight changes after you have booked other things around it. A clear answer to each tells you whether it is right for you.
A checklist before you book
- Confirm the departure and arrival airports and the time window, in writing.
- Ask what happens if the flight changes, and what the alternatives are.
- Check the number of seats and what luggage the aircraft can carry.
- Plan your return separately, and do not tie an important fixed event to an unconfirmed flight.
- Ask for a standard charter quotation alongside, so you can compare the price and the certainty.
Routes that tend to appear
Empty legs follow the busy city pairs, because that is where aircraft are positioning. The corridor between Melbourne and Sydney is the most active in the country; see Sydney to Melbourne by private jet. We cannot say which flights will come up on a given day, because that depends on other clients’ plans.
How we help
Tell us the routes you could fly, the dates and how flexible you are. We tell you what is available now, quote a standard charter alongside so you can compare, and let you know if something suitable appears. See the empty leg flights page for how to ask. For short regional flights, an air taxi can also be a lower-cost way to fly one way, and turboprop or light jet for short flights explains the aircraft.
Frequently asked questions
Are empty legs always cheaper?
Not always. They can cost considerably less than a standard one-way charter, but the saving depends on the aircraft, the route and the date, and we cannot promise a figure until we see what is available.
Can an empty leg flight change or cancel?
Yes, because it depends on what the aircraft is doing for its next client. If you need certainty, a standard charter is safer, and we can quote both.
Can I book an empty leg for a group?
Yes, within the seats on the aircraft. A larger group may find a standard charter easier to plan, because the aircraft and the times are chosen for you.
Ready to plan your flight?
Tell us the route, the date and how many are travelling, and we will come back with the right aircraft and one clear price. Request a quote or call +61 423 347 998.
Keep reading
Seven Ways to Reduce the Cost of a Private Jet Charter
Flexible dates, the right-sized aircraft and a smarter airport: seven things that move the price of a charter.
Read the articleAircraftTurboprop or Light Jet for Short Australian Flights?
On a flight of an hour or two, the slower aircraft is often the better choice. Here is when, and when it is not.
Read the articleRoutesSydney to Melbourne by Private Jet: The Two-City Day
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