Flying private doesn't have to mean paying full charter prices. With the right approach, empty legs make it genuinely accessible. Here's how to do it.
The words 'private jet' and 'budget' rarely appear in the same sentence. But the empty leg market has changed that — at least for travellers willing to be a little flexible. Here's a practical guide to getting the most out of it.
Start with the destination, not the departure. Most people search for flights the way they'd search for a commercial ticket: from A to B on a specific date. Empty legs work better the other way around. If you know you want to visit Nice in late May, browse all available legs into Nice and work backwards from there. You'll often find something within a day or two of your preferred dates.
Use the price sort. On Premiere Flight, sorting by price ascending immediately surfaces the cheapest available legs. Many of these are short-haul routes on light jets — perfect for European city pairs — and can come in under €3,000 for the whole aircraft.
Book fast. Empty legs are by nature time-sensitive. A listing that appears today for a flight in three days might be gone tomorrow if the operator's schedule changes or another buyer gets there first. If something looks right, don't wait.
Consider placing a bid. If the listed price is slightly above your budget, use Premiere Flight's bidding feature to name your own price. Operators can accept, decline, or counter. It's low-effort for the buyer and often results in a deal — especially for legs that are still open 48 hours before departure.
Fly midweek where possible. Empty leg availability peaks on Sundays and Mondays, as operators return aircraft from weekend charters. If you can be flexible about flying on a Sunday evening or Monday morning, you'll find more options at better prices.
Think about the group cost. A light jet seats four to six people. Divided across a group, the per-person cost of an empty leg can be comparable to a premium economy or business class ticket — with a private terminal, no queues, and your own schedule. It's a different calculation than booking solo.
