Luxury Empty Leg Flights: On Sale

When you think of a private jet, you probably categorize it under “things I’ll never have,” subcategory “things that are really cool.” Maybe it even bothers you to think of some obnoxious celebrity being totally catered to and comfortable in the air while you’re crammed into a half-human-sized seat between the 500-pound man and the screaming baby. Well, the next time you’re eating a vacuum-packed salad in which every vegetable strangely tastes the same while the lady next to you regales you about her grandson, ponder this: you can fly on a chartered jet. Yes, you, average Jane or John with the average salary. It would be a one-way flight, but it can happen.

What is an Empty Leg flight?

An empty leg flight is a one-way flight that us plebeians can afford on a jet charter. And the reason we can is one of those why-didn’t-I-ever-think-of-that-befores. When someone, perhaps a rich someone, books a one-way jet charter, obviously the plane has to get back to its airport of origin. And since the passenger who booked it only booked it to get from point A to point B and not back, now it’s empty. Empty leg, get it? That’s where you come in, Einstein. You can jump on the bandwagon here and mooch off the guy or girl who booked this jet charter going one way while you take it back. I know what you’re thinking. Why haven’t you been taking advantage of this all along?

When you go onto a jet charter company’s website, they’ll post the empty leg flights available based on what way their jets are already booked. Jet charter booked for someone to travel from Montreal to Miami? Well, if you’re looking to take a break up north, you can catch that jet going back to Montreal. A company will, at any given time, have a whole list of flight options. Take a Lear 55 from New York to Florida. A heavy jet from Virginia to the Bahamas. You’ll save 25% to 50% off the cost of a jet charter flight, because you’re not the original booker. That jet has to get back to its airport whether you’re coming or not. So, if you decide to go along for the ride, you’re getting a huge discount. So find two empty leg flights to form a round trip, or just treat yourself to the jet charter one way and save by flying commercial the other way.

Who should book an Empty Leg Flight?

The deep discounts off regular jet charter prices that you’ll get for flying Empty Leg make private flying much more accessible, so a lot more of us can partake and enjoy. If you’ve been looking to splurge a little and treat yourself or someone else, this is a great way to travel, and you’re still being thrifty, regular prices considered. Make sure you can reliably book the return flight, either on another empty leg flight or with a commercial airline. Just remember, even a deep discount doesn’t make this way to fly cheap. It’s just cheaper. The discounts can make the difference for many people who never would have been able to fly privately. However, it doesn’t make enough of a difference for many of us. Consider this. A jet charter flight from New York to San Francisco can run about $25,000. So let’s say you get a 35% discount flying empty leg. To go from San Francisco to New York this way, it would run you $16,250. More affordable? Of course. Actually affordable for most people? No. Not for a one-way flight. Weigh how important this is to you. If flying and planes and jets and all that is totally your cup of tea, then maybe it’s worth it. But, if you’re more about the destination, this is probably just unrealistic.

What are the benefits of an Empty Leg Flight?

A jet charter flight is nice, there’s no way around that. Think of how glorious it would be to not only leave coach behind, but first class, too. This will be your most comfortable flight ever, with room to breathe, move, and relax. Plus, you’ll be catered to with things a commercial airline couldn’t afford to think about. And you’ll get all of that for such a deeply discounted price because you’re hopping on the jet charter on its way back. You’ll be paying 25% to 50% less than the person who booked the flight to the destination you’re flying out of – all for the same stuff. Don’t forget the almighty option of chipping in. These aircrafts usually accommodate between ten and thirteen passengers, so this could be a good idea for a big group of friends or family going on a special occasion trip. Hey, get ten of you and that $16,250 soars down to $1,625. Now you’re more in commercial airline territory.