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Private Business Jet Charter - Empty Legs

P rivate jet charter is a good option for lighter users who do not wish to purchase a jet card, fraction or an entire aircraft...

Whilst a day return is the most cost-effective way of utilising a standard air charter, so called "empty legs" can be an excellent way of chartering a jet with savings of up to 75%. To utilise an empty leg you must be quite flexible in your schedule and willing to book at the last minute, subject to availability. A number of jet charter operators and brokers offer empty leg flights for sale.

What is an empty leg?

If a jet is chartered one-way from New York to Los Angeles, the charter company still has to fly the jet back to its New York home base within a day or two - rather than leave it parked in LA. Usually the operator is not able to sell this flight back to paying passengers so it must fly back empty - hence the name 'empty leg', also known as a 'deadhead' or a 'backhaul'. Because flying empty planes costs money, the original one-way customer pays a surcharge in the charter to cover the cost of the flight back.

It is estimated that around 40% of all private business jet flights are actually empty legs - although this can be reduced by a well managed aircraft operator using sound logistics. Empty legs are common on aircraft with fractional owners and jet card members - where multiple clients make many one-way flights.

Like an empty airline seat sold cheaply at the last minute, the jet operator will offer to sell these empty leg flights at a highly reduced price to the normal jet charter rate - after all, the marginal cost is small and any revenue received will help the bottom line of the company.

  jet charter empty legs

For example, executive jet broker StudioJet regularly offers a 'large jet' empty leg for $18,000 - $33,000 from to Los Angeles to New York - this works between $1,400 and $2,500 per person on a full load of 13 passengers. Booking last minute one-way airfares in first class on a scheduled airline would be around the same price.

StudioJet also offers empty legs on a large jet between London and New York for $60,900 to $85,000 - for 13 passengers this is $4,700 to $6,600 per person. Consider that a last minute one way flight in British Airways First from London to New York could easily cost $9,800.

There are dozens of private jet operators and brokers offering empty leg flights - a simple internet search for "empty leg Florida" or "empty leg UK" (or wherever your origin/destination is) can bring applicable results, though do your homework. Find out who the aircraft operator is, check the aircraft type/age and ask for references. When getting a quote for an empty leg ask about the cost of any other fees and airport taxes.

Empty leg flights are available world-wide though obviously they are much easier to find for popular private jet routes - particularly between major business centres and also to high-end tourist destinations (Caribbean, Mediterranean, ski resorts).

So if you have some flexibility in your travel plans then finding an empty leg could mean flying on an executive jet at a very reasonable cost.

Note: Always undertake a full financial analysis with a qualified professional before purchasing any form of private jet.

Air Travel Articles > Private Jets > Empty Legs

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