ServicesEmpty Leg Flights
Danville Empty Leg Flights
When a private aircraft flies with no passengers to get to its next pickup or head back to base, that flight is an empty leg. If it matches your route and timing, you can take it for less than a dedicated charter. We tell you which legs are available and what the trade-off is.
Empty Legs, and Why They Are Cheaper
Most charter trips are one way. If a client flies Indianapolis to Naples and spends a week there, the operator still needs to fly the jet home or on to its next job. That repositioning flight uses the same fuel and the same two pilots, yet no one is paying for the cabin. Selling the leg to you gets some of that cost back, which is why empty legs typically cost well under the same route chartered on its own.
What you give up is control. Another client's trip has already fixed the aircraft, the route and the approximate departure time. You adapt to the flight, not the reverse. For travelers in Danville, Avon or Plainfield with flexible plans, that can be an excellent deal. For a board meeting that cannot shift, a standard charter is the safer choice, and we will tell you that.
What an Empty Leg Includes
- The entire aircraft
- This is not one seat. For that leg, the cabin, the baggage hold and the crew are all yours, just like on a full charter.
- One all-inclusive price
- Fuel, crew, landing fees and federal excise tax come together in a single figure. No hidden costs appear once you have flown.
- Priced point to point
- You are charged for the leg you take. A one-way trip is never billed at round trip pricing.
- Pets and WIFI
- Pets are allowed, following the operator's cabin rules for that aircraft. Many jets we find are WIFI equipped, and we check before you book.
- A fallback option
- If the original charter changes, the empty leg can vanish. We lay out your choices from the start, including the price of a dedicated turboprop or light jet flight if the leg is lost.
When an Empty Leg Is a Good Fit
Your travel dates can move
Being able to go a day sooner or a few hours later opens up many more legs. Trips locked to one time seldom line up.
You need just one direction
Empty legs only go one way. They suit trips where you drive home, take an airline back, or stay without a set return date.
Your route is a busy one
Legs appear most on heavily flown corridors, like the Midwest to Florida in winter or to the Northeast and mountain resorts in season, since charters already run there.
A smaller cabin holds your group
Light and midsize jets reposition all the time. Groups of four to seven get the most choices, while bigger groups that need a heavy jet find fewer.
A full charter costs too much
When a dedicated flight is beyond your budget but you still want to fly private, an empty leg is the simplest way to lower the price.
How Booking an Empty Leg Works
- 1
Tell us the route and your window
Give us your departure area, destination, passenger count and how much your dates can move. We check open legs from operators flying near Danville and into the surrounding airports.
- 2
We show what matches, and what does not
You get the aircraft type, the departure window and an all-inclusive quote. If nothing fits, we tell you plainly and price a standard charter instead.
- 3
You confirm and we lock it in
Once you agree, we reserve the leg with the operator and send the flight details, the FBO name and the arrival time to show up.
- 4
We watch the leg until wheels up
If the original trip shifts, your departure can shift too. We stay in touch and give you the options right away, and our phone is answered 24/7.
What Moves the Price of an Empty Leg
Empty leg pricing starts from what the operator would lose by flying the aircraft empty. From there, a few things push it up or down. We break each one out on your quote so you can see why the number is what it is.
- Aircraft size
- A turboprop or light jet burns far less fuel per hour than a super-midsize or heavy jet, so its legs are priced lower.
- Distance and flight time
- Longer legs cost more in fuel and crew time, even with the repositioning discount.
- How close to departure you book
- Operators often lower the price as the date nears, because an unsold leg earns nothing. Waiting can save money but narrows your choices.
- Route adjustments
- Asking the aircraft to land at a different airport than planned adds flight time and fees. Small changes can still be worth it.
- Season and demand
- Holiday weeks and winter sun routes fill fast, so legs on those corridors carry less of a discount.
Straight Answers on Empty Legs
Something not covered here? (317) 203-8680
Could my empty leg get canceled?
Yes. The leg only exists because of another client's charter, so if their plans change or they cancel, your leg can shift or disappear. We tell you how solid a leg looks when we quote it, and if it falls apart we can price a dedicated flight on a comparable aircraft.
Can the departure time be changed?
Only slightly, in most cases. The aircraft must reach its next pickup on schedule, so large changes rarely work. Moving an hour or two is often possible, and we check with the operator before you commit.
Are the aircraft and crew different from a normal charter?
No. You get the same jet, the same pilots and the same maintenance standards. The one difference is that another trip set the schedule.
Can my return also be an empty leg?
Sometimes, when another leg happens to go the opposite way at the right time. There is no guarantee, so most travelers arrange the return on its own and we quote both choices.
Is there anything to join to get empty leg prices?
No. You open no account and make no long term commitments. We quote by phone, and you book only the flights you choose.
Find the Legs That Match Your Trip
Share your destination and how flexible your plans are. We will tell you what is available, the full all-in price, and whether a standard charter would serve you better.