Finding Cheap Empty Leg Private Jet Charter Flights
In some instances, the owner of the aircraft will need to have their jet flown to their location to pick them up. This private flight will be an empty leg which costs the owner money; therefore, they may ask the operator to sell it to recoup at least some part of the cost of having the otherwise-empty aircraft travel to them. The owner might be keen to fill the flight and so they’re likely to offer a discount – but they will still expect a fair price, or else they simply won’t sell it.
Empty flights are based on classic supply and demand. If there are multiple empty legs flying in the same direction, there may be more room to negotiate. For example, let’s say you want to book a flight around Christmas on a popular route like from New York to Miami. This means there will probably be a lot of empty leg flights on the return journey, from Miami to New York. If that’s the route you want to take, you’ll get a chance for bigger savings as operators attempt to beat the competition and fill their empty legs.
If you’re interested in a private jet flight from New York to London – or from Europe to the Middle East or Asia – empty leg charter flights could save you upwards of $100,000. Closer to home, cross-country flights in the US such as New York to Los Angeles can produce savings of $30,000 - $50,000.
Smaller jets and shorter flights produce smaller savings. On light jets heading up and down the East Coast, you’ll save around $5,000 - $6,000. Any longer empty leg flight in a larger aircraft type can offer huge savings.
