How to Find Empty Leg Deals: A Practical Guide

Empty legs are created by advance bookings. When a client books a one-way charter from New York to Miami, the aircraft needs to return to New York (or proceed to its next booking location) empty. That return flight is the empty leg.

The availability and direction of empty legs follow demand patterns. Holiday periods produce predictable empty leg directions: aircraft flying south before Christmas produce northbound return empty legs between Christmas and New Year's. Aircraft flying to Aspen for New Year's produce eastbound return empty legs in early January.

Through a Broker Relationship

The most reliable source of empty legs is a broker with whom you have standing route preferences on file. When Hogani Jets receives an empty leg from an operator that matches a client's standing interest, Hogani Jets contacts the client directly. This is faster than any public listing because the match is made before the leg is marketed broadly.

To use this method: contact Hogani Jets and provide your primary routes, preferred aircraft categories, and the level of schedule flexibility you can maintain.

Operator Direct Lists

Some operators maintain their own email lists of upcoming empty legs for clients who have flown with them before. These lists are aircraft-specific and market-limited: you only see empty legs from that operator's fleet. The value is directness and speed. Operators sometimes release empty legs to their direct list before sending them to brokers.

Online Empty Leg Platforms

Several aviation platforms aggregate empty leg listings from multiple operators. These platforms display route, date, aircraft type, and listed price. They are publicly accessible without a prior booking relationship.

The limitation of platform searches is that popular empty legs sell quickly. A well-priced New York to Miami midsize jet empty leg may be listed and gone within hours. Checking platforms once a day is often too infrequent for the best opportunities. Setting up email or push notification alerts for specific routes is the more effective approach.

An established broker relationship outperforms any platform search for finding empty legs on specific routes. A broker who knows your standing route preferences receives empty leg notifications from their entire operator network simultaneously and contacts the right clients immediately. An unconnected platform search requires the client to check repeatedly and compete with all other platform users. The broker relationship is an asymmetric advantage: the operator alerts go to a known buyer first, then to the market. The client with a standing broker relationship is the known buyer.

How Far in Advance

Most empty legs appear 24 to 72 hours before the departure time. This is the most important constraint to understand before pursuing empty legs as a travel strategy. You need to be prepared to travel on short notice.

Some empty legs appear up to 2 weeks ahead when the creating booking was made well in advance, and the operator has chosen to market the return leg early. These longer-notice empty legs are rarer and tend to disappear quickly when they do appear.

For empty legs where the return direction is highly predictable (for example, an aircraft flying a group to Aspen for New Year's Eve will almost certainly have an eastbound empty leg on or around January 2), some brokers will take informal expressions of interest before the specific leg is confirmed. Hogani Jets does this for regular clients on high-probability corridors.

Best Calendar Periods for Empty Legs

Verify It Is a Real Booking

An empty leg is contingent on the flight that created it. If the inbound or outbound booking cancels, the empty leg disappears. Ask the broker or operator: how confirmed is the creating booking? An empty leg linked to a firm, paid, advance booking is more stable than one attached to a tentative booking.

Check the Aircraft

Empty legs are sold as the aircraft flies. You cannot upgrade the aircraft or switch to a different type. If the empty leg is on an older midsize jet and you require a super midsize, this empty leg is not for you. Check the aircraft category, age, and configuration against your requirements before committing.

Understand the Flexibility Limits

The departure time on an empty leg is the time the operator needs the aircraft to depart for operational reasons. It cannot be moved by more than a narrow window. A departure listed at 2pm may flex to 3pm but not to 8pm. If the time does not work, the empty leg does not work. Do not accept an empty leg hoping to adjust the time after booking.

Confirm Passenger Numbers

Empty legs can carry the full passenger capacity of the aircraft. They are not limited to one or two passengers. A midsize jet empty leg can carry 8 or 9 passengers at the same discounted price as one passenger. The cost of the flight does not increase with passenger count.

Empty leg discounts range from 25 to 75 percent off the standard one-way charter rate for the same aircraft on the same route. The discount varies by how urgently the operator needs to move the aircraft, how much notice exists, and whether the route is a common one with multiple potential buyers. A common corridor like New York to Miami on a midsize jet may be discounted 25 to 40 percent because demand is high and buyers are available. A more unusual routing with fewer potential passengers may be discounted 50 to 75 percent to move quickly. Pricing reflects supply and demand at the specific moment the leg is available.

Route: You cannot change the departure or destination city. You may be able to add a fuel stop, but not a diversion to a different destination.

Aircraft: The aircraft is what it is. No substitutions.

Departure time: The time is operationally set. Minor adjustments (30 to 60 minutes) may be possible. Major changes are not possible.

Catering: Standard catering can usually be arranged with sufficient notice. Elaborate or highly custom catering may not be achievable at the lead times typical for empty legs. Keep catering requests practical.

An empty leg is a passive availability: the aircraft is going to move regardless, and you are offered a seat. A repositioning flight is an active request: you ask the operator to position an aircraft from its current location to your departure point for your charter. Repositioning flights carry a repositioning fee (the cost of the empty positioning leg) added to the charter price.

The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably in the market, which creates confusion. When evaluating an offer, clarify: is this aircraft already committed to moving on this route (empty leg), or is it being asked to move to serve my booking (repositioning)?

The practical approach for anyone who wants to benefit from empty legs regularly: establish a broker relationship and provide standing route preferences. Contact Hogani Jets with the routes you travel most frequently, the aircraft categories you prefer, and the lead time you can work with.

The more flexible your schedule, the more empty legs will be relevant. Clients who can confirm a departure 24 hours out will see more opportunities than those who need 5 days minimum notice.

Contact Hogani Jets at charter@hoganijets.com or +1-855-660-0573 to register standing route preferences for empty leg notifications. 

All charters are facilitated through licensed Part 135 direct air carriers who hold full operational control and regulatory compliance for every flight.

What is an empty leg flight?

An empty leg is a repositioning flight with no paying passengers. The aircraft moves to reach its next booking or return to base. Operators discount these flights heavily. The aircraft flies regardless, so any fare helps cover operating costs.

How much discount do empty legs offer?

Empty leg discounts range from 25% to 75% off the standard one-way charter rate. Popular corridors like New York to Miami discount 25% to 40%. Rare routes with fewer buyers discount 50% to 75%.

How far in advance do empty legs appear?

Most empty legs appear 24 to 72 hours before departure. Some surface up to 2 weeks ahead. Short-notice flexibility is a firm requirement. Empty legs rarely work when planning more than a few days out.

How do I find empty leg flights?

The most reliable method is a broker relationship with standing route preferences on file. Hogani Jets matches empty legs from the operator network as they appear. Aviation platforms also list empty legs with route-specific alerts.

Can an empty leg be cancelled?

Yes. An empty leg depends on the booking that created it. If that charter cancels, the empty leg is cancelled too. Ask how confirmed the creating booking is before committing. Paid, advance bookings are more stable than tentative ones.

Can I change the time or route on an empty leg?

No. The departure time and route are fixed by the operator's operational needs. Minor time adjustments of 30 to 60 minutes may be possible. The destination, aircraft, and route cannot be changed. What is listed is what is available.

How many passengers can travel on an empty leg?

Up to the aircraft's full capacity. A midsize jet empty leg seats 8 or 9 at the same price as one passenger. Cost does not increase with headcount. Groups get the strongest value per person.

Which routes have the most empty legs?

High-volume US empty leg corridors include New York to Florida, New York to Nantucket, and Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Texas to Colorado peaks in ski season. New York to the Hamptons peaks in summer.

When do the best empty legs appear?

Post-holiday return periods produce the most predictable empty legs. December 26 to 28 and January 2 to 5 are peak windows. The Sunday after Labor Day and early April after Masters Week also produce high volumes.

What is the difference between an empty leg and a repositioning flight?

An empty leg is a passive availability. The aircraft moves regardless and you are offered the seat. A repositioning flight is an active request. The operator charges to move the aircraft to your departure point.

Are empty leg flights safe?

Yes. Empty legs operate on the same licensed aircraft, the same Part 135 certified operators, and the same maintenance standards as standard private charters. The discount applies to price only. Safety, crew qualifications, and regulatory compliance are identical.

What happens if my empty leg is cancelled last minute?

The operator typically offers a rebooking credit or full refund depending on the terms agreed at booking. No guaranteed compensation exists by default. Always confirm the cancellation policy before paying. A broker can negotiate protective terms on your behalf.

Do empty legs include catering and ground transport?

Catering and ground transport are not automatically included on empty legs. Standard charters often bundle these services. On an empty leg, they must be requested and confirmed separately. Availability depends on the operator and departure notice given.

Can I book an empty leg for a one-way trip?

Yes. Empty legs are inherently one-way flights. They suit travelers who only need to move in one direction. No return booking is required. The aircraft continues to its next assignment after arrival.

What is the best way to negotiate an empty leg price?

Timing is the strongest lever. Operators cut prices more aggressively within 24 hours of departure. Group travel helps when the route already works. A broker with operator relationships typically secures better pricing than a direct approach.