What Does an Empty Leg Cost? Prices and Pricing Factors

What drives the price of an empty leg

Empty legs have no list price. The operator sets a price for each flight, starting from the cost it incurs anyway because the aircraft has to fly the sector. How much of that it aims to recover depends on the situation.

That is why two empty legs on similar routes can be priced quite differently. The table above, with current median prices from our data, shows the range in which empty legs are currently offered in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and on popular routes.

The main pricing factors

These factors have the biggest influence on private jet costs for empty legs:

• Aircraft category: a very light jet costs far less to operate than a super midsize or heavy jet.
• Route and flight time: longer flights use more fuel, incur higher charges and tie up crew and aircraft for longer.
• Lead time: operators tend to adjust prices as departure approaches, while choice shrinks.
• Season: demand rises during school holidays, public holidays and the winter season at Alpine airports.
• Route demand: popular routes, for example to trade fairs or major events, leave less room for discounts.
• Airports: charges and handling costs vary noticeably from one airport to another.

The price is per aircraft, not per person

On a scheduled flight you pay for a seat. With an empty leg you book the whole aircraft, however many seats you use. The number of travellers therefore makes all the difference to the cost per head.

A worked example with fictitious figures, not market prices: suppose an empty leg on a six-seat light jet is offered for EUR 9,000.

• Two travellers: EUR 4,500 each.
• Four travellers: EUR 2,250 each.
• Six travellers: EUR 1,500 each.

How to read the median price table

The table above shows median prices for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and frequent routes, based on empty legs offered on PrivJet. The median is the middle value: half of the offers are below it and half above. Individual very expensive or very cheap flights barely affect it.

A median price is a guide, not an offer. Your specific flight may be well above or below it, depending on route, date and aircraft type. The binding price is always the one shown for the empty leg and recorded in the pre-contract.

Extra costs and charges

What the displayed price includes varies from offer to offer, so check before booking. Typical items associated with a private jet flight include:

• Airport, landing and handling charges.
• Government levies and, depending on the route, VAT, for example on domestic flights.
• De-icing in winter, which may be needed at short notice depending on the weather.
• Catering beyond the standard offering and special requests on board.
• The PrivJet service fee for arranging the flight, due before the balance is paid to the operator.

Empty leg or standard charter: where the saving comes from

With a standard one-way charter you usually also pay for the aircraft to reach you and return afterwards. With an empty leg, those positioning costs disappear or are greatly reduced, because the flight is happening anyway.

On PrivJet, savings of up to 75 % compared with a comparable charter are possible. The trade-off is flexibility: route and timing are fixed, and the empty leg may change if the original booking does.

ShareMyJet and cost planning tips

If you travel alone or as a couple, chartering the whole aircraft may be out of proportion. ShareMyJet lets you book individual seats on empty legs at least 7 days in the future, so the cost is spread across several travellers.

• Choose the smallest category that genuinely fits your passengers, luggage and route.
• Stay flexible on dates and consider nearby airports.
• Set up a free route alert to see new offers early.
• Plan and budget your return separately.
• Check what is included and what the terms and conditions say about changes and cancellations.