Booking an Empty Leg: Process, Checklist and Tips

How booking works on PrivJet

Booking an empty leg on PrivJet follows five steps:

• Choose a flight: find a suitable empty leg and check route, date, aircraft category and price.
• Sign the pre-contract: enter your details and passenger information and sign the digital pre-contract.
• Operator confirmation: the operator confirms availability, aircraft and crew.
• Payment: first the PrivJet service fee, then the balance to the operator.
• Fly: you receive the details for the day of departure and travel as agreed.

What happens after the pre-contract

The digital pre-contract records the key details of your booking. The operator then checks whether the flight can go ahead as offered. Only once availability, aircraft and crew are confirmed do you move on to payment.

Operator details are released after you have paid the service fee. The balance is then paid directly to the operator.

Pre-booking checklist

Before you book, make sure you have answered these questions:

• Do the date and time window fit your plans, even if departure shifts slightly?
• Does your group size match the available seats?
• Is there enough luggage space, including for skis or golf bags?
• Does everyone have valid travel documents, especially for flights outside the Schengen area?
• How will you get back if no suitable return empty leg is available?
• Have you read the terms and conditions, particularly on changes and cancellations?

Risks: changes or cancellation by the operator

The main risk with empty legs is their dependence on the original booking. If the client the flight was planned for changes their trip, your empty leg may move too. If they cancel, it may not operate at all.

Operational reasons such as weather, technical issues, slots or crew duty limits can affect any flight. Whether a flight can operate safely is always the operator's decision. What happens to payments already made is set out in our terms and conditions.

Tips: flexibility, route alerts and your return

Travellers with some flexibility have the best chance of finding a suitable empty leg. A single day either way, or an alternative airport nearby such as Geneva instead of Sion, widens the choice considerably.

Set up a free route alert by push notification or email, so you hear about new empty legs on your route as soon as they are published. And plan your return from the start: another empty leg, a one-way charter or a scheduled flight are all options. If you must be back by a fixed time, book a fixed return.

Luggage, pets and special requests

Luggage space is limited on smaller jets. State the number and size of your bags early, especially bulky items such as skis, golf bags or pushchairs. Soft bags are often easier to stow than large hard-shell cases.

Whether pets can travel is up to the operator. Ask PrivJet before booking and we will agree it with the operator; also check the entry requirements of your destination country. Catering requests, child seats and other special needs are best raised early too.

No suitable empty leg? Submit a charter request

Not every route is available as an empty leg at all times. If you cannot find a suitable flight, submit a charter request on PrivJet. PrivJet gathers quotes from up to 10 suitable operators in parallel, and you choose from anonymised offers.

Travelling alone or as a couple? ShareMyJet lets you book individual seats on empty legs at least 7 days in the future.