Empty Legs · 11 min read
Empty Leg Flights: Complete FAQ
An empty leg is a private jet sector flown without passengers — an aircraft repositioning to its next charter or back to base. Operators sell those sectors below the cost of a bespoke charter because the aircraft, crew and fuel are already committed. The trade-off is fixed routing, short notice and the fact that nothing is confirmed until the operator says so.
Updated 29/08/2026
Key Facts
- What you book
- The whole aircraft, not a seat
- Typical listing lifespan
- 24–96 hours
- Routing
- Fixed by the operator's repositioning need
- Pricing
- Materially cheaper, but varies by sector
- Confirmation
- Always subject to the operator
- Operator
- Vetted AOC holder; SkyBridge is the broker
How to use this page
The questions below are grouped roughly in the order people ask them: what an empty leg is, what it costs, what can go wrong, the practicalities of flying on one, and how the SkyBridge process works. Each answer is deliberately short.
Where a figure would need to be invented to answer a question, we say so instead. There is no universal empty-leg discount percentage, no fixed cancellation window that applies to every operator, and no meaningful average price, because every sector is priced against a specific aircraft, route and date.
Before you search
Three decisions determine whether you find something: how wide your date window is, how many airports in your catchment you will accept, and whether you are open on aircraft category. Fixing all three tightly reduces most searches to nothing.
Search live availability on our marketplace, and register a route alert if today's inventory does not suit. Most sectors surface only days ahead, so being told when your corridor appears usually beats refreshing a page.
- Widen dates before you widen anything else — a three-day window typically multiplies matches.
- Treat a metro area as a group: London alone covers Farnborough, Luton, Biggin Hill, Stansted and Northolt.
- Accepting an adjacent aircraft category opens more sectors than any other single change.
- Outbound and return are separate searches; empty legs are one-way by nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an empty leg flight?
A private jet sector flown with no passengers on board — the aircraft is repositioning to reach its next charter or return to base. Because that movement is already committed, operators will often sell it rather than fly it empty.
Why are empty legs cheaper?
The aircraft, crew and much of the fuel cost are already assigned to the movement, so the marginal cost of carrying you is small. The saving is genuine rather than a promotional discount, but the size of it varies by sector.
How much cheaper is an empty leg than a normal charter?
It can be materially cheaper, but there is no honest universal percentage. The gap depends on the aircraft, the route, how close to departure the sector is and how the operator prices repositioning. Treat any site quoting a fixed discount for all empty legs with caution.
Do I book a seat or the whole aircraft?
The whole aircraft. Empty legs are arranged as whole-aircraft charters, so the price covers the sector rather than a per-passenger fare, up to the aircraft's seating limit.
Are empty leg flights one-way only?
In practice, yes. The sector exists to move the aircraft in one direction. A return would be a separate empty leg in the opposite direction on a suitable date, or a standard charter.
How far in advance are empty legs published?
Usually days, not weeks, because a sector only exists once the parent charter is confirmed. Some appear less than 24 hours before departure.
How quickly do empty legs sell?
Most are created and consumed inside 24 to 96 hours, and attractive city-pair sectors can go within hours. Speed of enquiry matters more here than in almost any other travel category.
Can an empty leg be cancelled after I book it?
It can change or disappear before it is contracted, because the parent charter that created it can move. Once a charter agreement is signed, the operator's contractual cancellation terms apply, and those vary by operator. Always read them before you commit.
What happens if the flight is cancelled?
Your remedy is set by the charter agreement with the operating carrier. As broker, SkyBridge works the alternatives with you — another sector, a standard charter, or a refund position under the contract. We set out the cancellation terms before you sign, not after.
Is a listing on a website a confirmed booking?
No. Every listing is an opportunity subject to operator confirmation of aircraft, crew, slots, handling and final price. It becomes a booking when the charter agreement is in place.
Can I change the departure time of an empty leg?
Sometimes by a modest margin, if the operator's schedule, crew duty and slots allow it. The routing itself is effectively fixed, because the aircraft has to be somewhere for its next assignment.
Can I change the route or add a stop?
Rarely. A diversion turns the sector into a bespoke charter and is priced accordingly. If your routing is fixed and non-negotiable, a standard charter quote is usually the better starting point.
How much luggage can I take on an empty leg?
The same as any charter on that aircraft type — baggage volume, not weight alone, is normally the constraint, and it varies enormously between a light jet and a heavy jet. Tell us what you are carrying before booking, especially skis, golf bags or instruments.
Can I bring pets on an empty leg?
Often yes, but it is the operator's decision on the day and it must be agreed in advance. Cross-border movements also require the correct animal health paperwork for both countries.
Do I need a passport for an empty leg flight?
For any international sector, yes — the same travel documents, visas and border requirements apply as on a scheduled flight. Private aviation changes the airport experience, not immigration law.
Which airports do empty legs use?
Predominantly business-aviation airports and general-aviation terminals rather than main passenger terminals. That usually means faster arrival-to-departure times, but the specific field is dictated by the aircraft's repositioning need.
Can I depart from a different airport nearby?
Not on the listed sector. But because a metro area often has several fields, searching by city group rather than a single airport is the most effective way to find a sector that already suits you.
What aircraft types appear as empty legs?
Everything that reposition: turboprops, very light and light jets, midsize and super-midsize, heavy and ultra-long-range aircraft, and occasionally VIP airliners. Category availability reflects what is flying in your region, not a fixed menu.
Are empty leg flights as safe as normal charters?
The aircraft, crew and operator are exactly the same as on a paid charter — an empty leg is a commercial decision about an already-planned movement, not a different standard of flying. Operational and safety responsibility sits with the AOC-holding operator.
Who is responsible for the flight — the broker or the operator?
The operating air carrier holds operational and safety responsibility under its Air Operator Certificate. SkyBridge Jets is a broker and arranger; our responsibility is to verify the operator's certification and insurance position for the flight and to arrange the charter.
Does SkyBridge Jets operate the aircraft?
No. SkyBridge Jets is a UK private aviation broker. It does not hold an AOC and does not own or operate aircraft. Every flight is operated by a vetted third-party AOC holder, identified before you commit.
What fees and taxes apply on top of the price?
In general terms a charter price may sit alongside applicable taxes, handling, landing, parking, catering and ground transport, and what is bundled varies by operator and country. We set out what is and is not included in the quotation before you sign, so you are comparing like with like.
Can the price change after I enquire?
Yes. Published figures are indicative until the operator reconfirms them. Prices can soften as an unsold sector approaches departure and can rise if the operator reconfirms costs. The quoted figure becomes firm at contract.
How do I pay for an empty leg?
Through the contractual route set out in the charter agreement, after the operator has confirmed. We do not ask for payment against an unconfirmed listing.
How do route alerts work?
You register a corridor, a date window, passenger count and aircraft preference, confirm your email, and we notify you when a matching sector is published. Because inventory surfaces days ahead, alerts usually outperform browsing.
What if there is nothing on my route today?
Set an alert and, in parallel, ask the desk for a standard charter quote as a comparison. Sometimes a well-matched charter on a quiet day beats waiting for a repositioning sector that may never appear on your dates.
How does the SkyBridge booking process work?
Search live inventory, submit an enquiry, we verify with the operator that the sector is still planned, available and priced as published, you receive a firm quotation, then contract and payment, then flight. There is no instant online booking, by design.
Where do SkyBridge empty-leg listings come from?
Multiple aviation data sources, marketplace channels including automated collection from third-party marketplaces, and direct operator relationships, then de-duplicated and normalised. The full approach is published on our sourcing methodology page.