How to Sell Empty Leg Flights

For air charter operators, every flight hour counts. You plan, schedule, and manage aircraft to maintain efficiency, but still, some flights take off empty. These are the empty leg flights, and while they are a natural part of operations, they often represent missed revenue. But now the situation is changing. Thanks to digital transformation, charter operators now have access to charter marketplaces that make selling empty legs faster, easier, and far more profitable.

So, how are these platforms reshaping the way charter operators manage empty legs, and why going digital could be one of the smartest moves for your business?

What Are Empty Leg Flights?

Empty leg flights are discounted private jet trips that occur when an aircraft is flying without passengers, usually returning to its base or repositioning for its next booked flight. Since the flight is already scheduled, travelers can book these one-way trips at significantly lower prices, often up to 75% off the standard charter cost. While empty legs offer a luxurious and affordable way to fly privately, they come with limited flexibility in timing and routes, as they depend on another traveler’s original booking.

Why Empty Leg Flights Matter for Charter Operators?

Lost revenue from empty repositioning flights is one of the biggest operational inefficiencies charter operators face. Whenever a private jet flies without passengers, whether returning to its home base or relocating to another airport for the next pickup, it still incurs costs for fuel, crew, and maintenance, but generates no revenue. These non-revenue flights can account for up to 30–40% of total private jet movements worldwide, representing a massive untapped revenue stream.

That’s where empty leg flights come into play. By offering these already-scheduled flights to charter travelers at discounted rates, operators can recover part of their costs while improving fleet utilization. This not only offsets operating expenses but also attracts new customers who are looking for affordable entry points into private jet travel. Many of these first-time empty-leg passengers later become loyal full-charter clients.

For example, a Gulfstream G200 operator flying empty from NewYork to Miami after a charter might list the empty leg for 60% off the standard price. A traveler searching for a last-minute luxury trip could book it instantly through a digital charter marketplace, helping the operator earn additional revenue from what would otherwise be a cost-only flight.

By promoting empty legs smartly through charter marketplaces, mobile apps, or integrated scheduling software, operators can turn wasted capacity into profit, enhance brand visibility, and maintain higher aircraft utilization across their fleet.

5 Key Challenges in Selling Empty Legs

Every operator understands the pain of watching empty flights depart while knowing there’s someone out there who would have booked it, if only they knew. Here are the 5 key challenges that make selling empty legs tricky:

Short Time Window

Empty leg flights often become available just 24 to 48 hours before the flight. This makes if difficult to market them to the right traveler quickly enough.

Limited Market Visibility

Most operators rely on their internal sales teams or a small circle of charter brokers. That limits visibility and makes it hard to reach last-minute buyers globally.

No Centralized Listing Platform

Without a centralized digital space, your available empty legs remain scattered, some on email lists, others in spreadsheets. Charter travelers and brokers can’t easily find them.

Manual Coordination

Selling through phone calls and emails is time-consuming. By the time details are shared and confirmed, the flight schedule may already have changed.

Pricing Uncertainty

How much should you discount an empty leg? Too high, and you lose revenue; too low, and you lose the sale. Without data, pricing becomes guesswork.

These challenges are the main reason why many charter operators simply let empty legs fly unused, but with the right technology, that can change completely.

How Charter Marketplaces Help Listing and Selling Empty Legs Faster

Imagine having a single digital platform where you can list your aircraft, update your flight schedule, and instantly display your empty legs to a global audience of travelers and brokers.

That’s what a charter marketplace does.

A charter marketplace connects operators, brokers, and travelers in real time — simplifying how empty legs are shared, marketed, and sold.

Here’s how it transforms the process for you as an operator:

1. Instant Exposure

When you list your empty leg flights on a marketplace, they become visible to thousands of verified brokers and travelers searching for charters worldwide. Instead of depending on word of mouth, your listings are live 24/7 — ready to be discovered.

2. Automated Updates

Marketplaces like Easy Charter integrate with your scheduling or quoting software, automatically updating available flights as soon as they’re entered into your system. No more sending manual updates or dealing with outdated listings.

3. Direct Inquiries

Travelers or brokers interested in your route can contact you directly through the platform. That means fewer intermediaries and faster decision-making.

4. Smart Notifications

Some marketplaces allow users to set alerts for preferred routes. When your aircraft’s empty leg matches a traveler’s search, they’re notified instantly — often leading to quicker bookings.

5. Global Branding

By listing on a recognized marketplace, your company gains visibility and credibility. It’s a digital storefront for your fleet — professional, searchable, and trusted.

In essence, a charter marketplace doesn’t just help you sell empty legs — it builds a continuous demand network for your aircraft.

Turn Empty Miles Into Profitable Opportunities

Empty legs are a part of every operator’s business — but they don’t have to be a cost burden.

With today’s technology, they can be turned into a steady source of income. Air charter marketplaces give you everything you need — global visibility, automation, real-time updates, and data-backed pricing to ensure no flight goes unnoticed.

By listing your empty legs on a trusted marketplace, you can:

• Promote your flights to a global audience instantly.

• Automate availability and updates.

• Capture last-minute bookings efficiently.

• Strengthen your brand presence online.

In aviation, every hour counts — and every empty leg represents opportunity.

So instead of letting your aircraft fly empty, put those miles to work.

Join a charter marketplace and transform your repositioning flights into profitable journeys that keep your aircraft in the air and your business ahead of the curve.