More and more people are taking advantage of private travel every single day. There are so many perks to doing so, from time savings to safety reasons and everything in between. Unfortunately, not everyone has the financial ability to enjoy this luxury — and even those who do like to save money when possible.
Empty leg flights present the opportunity to enjoy travel on a private jet while paying a discounted rate.
What are empty leg flights and how do you find them?
What To Expect When Flying Private
If you have never flown via a private jet charter, it is common to picture someone seated in the cushioned captains’ chairs found in a spacious cabin. And while that is a huge part of what it means to fly private, it is only a small fraction of the benefits you really get.
There are many reasons those who charter jets keep coming back again and again. After all, it is hard to fly any other way once you experience the personalized attention and luxuries that come with this method of travel.
So, why do so many people love chartering private jets? It is because they come with so many perks, such as:
- You can choose your aircraft from the charter fleet
- You don’t have strict baggage restrictions
- You get to decide what time you would like to travel
- There are no layovers or stops along the way – always a direct flight
- You have access to more airports and can get closer to your destination
Of course, all of this is on top of the comfortable seating, inflight entertainment, and private surroundings.
Flying private sets the bar high and no other method of travel can keep up. It truly is a luxury.
Understanding Empty Leg Flights
Every time a jet travels from one airport to the next, it is referred to as a leg. So if a flight was traveling from Los Angeles to Dallas and then on to Miami, the first leg would be to Dallas and the second leg is to Miami.
With this, an empty leg would be a flight from one stop to another that has no passengers —- it is flying empty. But why? How does this happen?
Sometimes travelers only book one-way flights. If the jet doesn’t have anyone flying back to the city of its home base, it will be an empty leg as it heads back home.
Another situation that often leads to an empty leg is if a jet has someone who has chartered it from a different location and the jet has to travel to pick them up. The flight to get there is considered an empty leg and it is often available to those who are heading in the same direction.
What an Empty Leg Means For You
Chartering a private jet using an empty leg flight means that you can experience what it is like to travel in luxury without having to pay full price since these flights often come with a discount.
They have to go in the direction they are traveling whether they have a passenger or not, so they lower the price to entice travelers. This will help to offset the cost of fuel and the passenger gets a deal. It’s a win-win for both parties.
You will get to take advantage of many perks that come with private travel, including a simple boarding process and private accommodations for the duration of the flight. There will be lots of comfortable seating and you will have inflight entertainment and amenities, too.
What’s more, flying on a private jet’s empty leg means you get to save time. You don’t have to deal with commercial air travel’s rigid flight requirements, like arriving hours before your flight. And you don’t have to worry about layovers, delayed flights, or cancellations either.
Sounds like a lot of positives for a flight without any passengers, wouldn’t you agree? Perhaps the best part of traveling on an empty leg flight is being able to take advantage of all that comes with private travel — while still saving money.
Limitations of Empty Leg Flights
Although you will get to experience what it is like to fly on a private jet – including many of the benefits that come with doing so, there are limitations. For instance, when you charter a jet, you get to choose the time you would like to depart for your destination. You can choose whatever time works with your itinerary. With an empty leg, the jet has its own schedule. While there may be some flexibility, there will likely be some restrictions on time.
Personalizations may also be limited on an empty leg flight. This is not always the case, but something to note just in case.
Despite these differences, you will still get full use of the private jet and all of the other advantages that come along with it.
Where to Find Empty Leg Flights
Most charter companies will offer empty leg flights since, as we mentioned, they can offset the costs. Many brokers also advertise them, as well.
Your best option for booking an empty leg flight is to find a reputable charter company that offers them and stay on the lookout for their flights as they pop up. Some place them on their website, others will send notifications when they become available — it all depends on the specific charter company.
Working with one you can trust will ensure the best overall experience when booking an empty leg flight.
Empty Leg Flights with Sun Air Jets
At Sun Air Jets, we offer our charter services all around the world. And there are going to be times when we have empty leg flights to offer.
If you would like to see what we have available or learn more about these flights, visit our Empty Legs page to discover available Empty Legs flights. We provide all of our customers with the highest level of service so that they will have an incredible private travel experience from the moment they book their flight.