One-way flights are commonly referred to in the private aviation industry as “empty legs.” Additionally, they go by “empty flights,” “dead-heads,” “repositioning legs,” and “ferry flights.” These flight options occur when the aircraft needs to be repositioned or must return to home base—so, it would otherwise be flown between destinations without passengers. These segments are typically discounted for private jet travelers, because much of the cost has already been absorbed through normal use and operations.

Although empty leg options come at a discount, they aren’t for every type of traveler. They can come with scheduling and price fluctuation risks, meaning they aren’t as a reliable of an option as private jet charter or membership travel. For this reason, we only recommend using them when your travel schedule is flexible enough to accommodate. In contrast, we would advise against this type of private flying for frequent business travelers.