Empty-leg listings are short by design. Operators publish them quickly, often only days before departure, and they assume the reader knows the shorthand. Most of the disappointment people feel with empty legs comes from reading a listing as if it were an airline ticket. It is not. Here is what each part means in practice.
- 1 · Departure
- Thursday, window 14:00 to 17:00
- 2 · Aircraft
- Midsize jet, Citation XLS+ or similar
- 3 · Seats
- Up to 8 passengers
- 4 · Price
- Per aircraft, all-in
- 5 · Conditions
- Subject to the original trip
1. The departure: a window, not a time
Because the leg depends on another trip, the operator often gives a window rather than a fixed time: "afternoon", or "between two and five". The exact time is confirmed once the paid trip is settled. Some operators can move a leg by an hour or two if you ask; others cannot, because the crew has to be somewhere afterwards. Crews also work under legal duty and rest limits, which caps how far a departure can stretch.
Ask: how firm is this window, and when will the time be confirmed?
2. The aircraft: category versus exact type
"Midsize jet" tells you the size class. "Citation XLS+ or similar" tells you the type the operator expects to use, with a little room to swap. Within a category the differences are real: cabin height, luggage space, whether there is a proper lavatory, Wi-Fi, and the age of the interior. If any of those matter, ask for the tail number or the exact model and year, and for photos of the actual aircraft.
Ask: which aircraft exactly, how old is it, and how much luggage will it take?
3. Seats: the cabin limit, not a per-seat sale
An empty leg is normally sold as the whole aircraft, not by the seat. "Up to 8 passengers" is the cabin limit for that flight, which can be lower than the aircraft's brochure figure because of luggage, fuel or runway length. You pay the same price whether two people fly or eight, so legs are best value for groups.
Ask: is the full seat count available with our luggage, skis or golf bags?
4. The price: what "all-in" should cover
The headline price is where listings differ most. Some show a base rate, others an all-in figure. On domestic US flights, the 7.5% federal excise tax and a per-passenger segment fee of about $5 per leg apply to charter, and many trips also carry landing, handling, de-icing or catering costs. International legs add their own fees.
Every price we send is all-in, with taxes and fees included and any optional extras listed separately. If you are comparing listings from elsewhere, make sure you compare like with like.
| Listing says | What it means | Worth asking |
|---|---|---|
| "Window" | Departure depends on the original trip | When is the time confirmed? |
| "Or similar" | The type may change within the category | Which tail number and year? |
| "Up to 8" | Cabin limit for this flight | Does that hold with our luggage? |
| "From" or base price | Taxes and fees may be extra | What is the total, all-in? |
| "Subject to" | The leg can move or be canceled | What happens to my payment if it is? |
5. Conditions: the line people skip
"Subject to the original trip" is the most important phrase in the listing. If the paying client changes their plans, the empty leg changes too, and it can disappear entirely. Your charter agreement will say what happens in that case, typically a refund of what you paid for the leg, but it will not get you to Palm Beach on Thursday.
That is why we suggest empty legs for trips with some give in them, and keep a regular charter quote ready for anything with a fixed meeting, wedding or connection at the other end.
Ask: what happens if the leg is canceled, and what would a regular charter cost as a backup?
The part that is never optional: who operates it
A listing should lead to the name of the operator before you pay. In the US the operator must hold an FAA Part 135 certificate and keep operational control of the flight; abroad, a foreign equivalent applies. Many operators also hold third-party audits such as ARGUS ratings, Wyvern Wingman or IS-BAO registration. A discount should only ever reflect timing, never a lower standard.
The contract you sign is a charter agreement with that operator identified. Read it for the schedule, the aircraft, the total price and the cancellation terms.
The airport and the FBO
A listing names airports, but on the day what matters is the FBO, the private terminal where you meet the aircraft. Larger airports have several, and they can be on opposite sides of the field. Once you book, your confirmation should give the FBO name, the address for your driver and the time to arrive, which for a domestic flight is often only 15 to 30 minutes before departure.
Check the airport against your plans, too. Teterboro, for example, is about 12 miles from Midtown Manhattan, while Westchester and Morristown sit further out. A leg into the "wrong" airport in the same region can still be the right choice if the drive suits you. For international legs, confirm where customs is cleared and whether the first airport of entry is the one listed, because that can change the schedule.
Ask: which FBO, what time should we arrive, and where do we clear customs if the flight is international?
A quick checklist
- Airports exactly as you want them, or a nearby field that works for you.
- A departure window you can live with, and when it will be confirmed.
- The exact aircraft, its age, seats and luggage space.
- The all-in price, with any extras listed.
- What happens if the leg moves or is canceled.
- The operator's name and certificate before you pay.
Read this way, a listing stops being a gamble and becomes a decision you can make in a few minutes.
Let us read the fine print for you
Tell us the trip. We will send matching legs and a regular charter option, each with the operator named and the price all-in.
Request a quote