Every day, private jets fly empty. An aircraft finishes dropping passengers in Las Vegas and needs to get back to Los Angeles. Another completes a one-way charter from New York to Miami and needs to reposition to its home base in Teterboro. These repositioning flights — called empty legs or deadheads — represent an incredible opportunity for savvy travelers.
What Are Empty Leg Flights?
An empty leg is a flight that an aircraft must make without any paying passengers. The operator needs to move the plane regardless, so they're willing to sell the flight at a massive discount — typically 25% to 75% off the standard charter price.
For example, a Gulfstream G450 needs to reposition from Las Vegas to New York. The standard charter price for that route is about $22,000. As an empty leg, you might book it for $6,000–$16,000. That's a real Gulfstream at light jet pricing.
How Empty Legs Work
The catch: Empty legs are one-way, and the schedule is determined by the aircraft's existing booking. You fly on the operator's timeline, not yours. If the original passenger changes their schedule, your empty leg might shift or get cancelled.
The process: 1. Operators publish empty leg availability (often with 24-72 hours notice) 2. You see a route that works for your travel plans 3. You book it at the discounted rate 4. You fly at a fraction of the normal cost
Finding Empty Leg Deals
Most charter brokers guard their empty leg inventory closely. At Compass Rose Air, we publish every available empty leg on our website and send instant alerts to subscribers. Here's where to look:
Our empty leg page: Updated in real-time with available flights from our 50+ operator network.
Email alerts: Subscribe to specific routes (e.g., any empty leg from Las Vegas) and get notified the instant one becomes available.
Flexibility is key: The more flexible you can be with dates and times, the better deals you'll find.
Best Routes for Empty Legs
Some routes have far more empty leg availability than others:
Las Vegas to Los Angeles: The busiest private jet corridor in the West. Empty legs appear almost daily.
New York to Miami: High traffic in both directions means frequent empty leg opportunities.
Teterboro to anywhere: As the busiest private jet airport in the country, Teterboro (serving NYC) generates more empty legs than anywhere else.
Seasonal routes: Aspen, Nantucket, and other seasonal destinations generate empty legs at the beginning and end of their peak seasons.
Empty Leg Pricing Examples
| Route | Standard Price | Empty Leg Price | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas → LA | $4,500 | $1,500–$3,000 | 33-67% |
| New York → Miami | $12,500 | $4,000–$9,000 | 28-68% |
| LA → Cabo | $14,500 | $5,000–$11,000 | 24-66% |
| Miami → Bahamas | $6,500 | $2,000–$4,500 | 31-69% |
Tips for Booking Empty Legs
Act fast: The best deals get snapped up within hours. Having a relationship with a broker who alerts you immediately is invaluable.
Have your documents ready: Empty legs require quick booking. Have passenger names, weights, and IDs ready to go.
Be flexible with airports: Empty legs may use different FBOs than you're used to. Be open to alternative airports within your city.
Book round-trip carefully: If you fly one-way on an empty leg, you'll need a full-price charter (or another empty leg) for the return. Factor this into your total trip cost.
Subscribe to Empty Leg Alerts
The best empty leg deals go to people who are ready to move fast. Subscribe to our email alerts for your preferred routes and we'll notify you the moment a deal becomes available. No spam, just real opportunities to fly private at a fraction of the cost.