Midsize jet empty leg flights
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with no paying passengers yet. A midsize jet cruises near 440 knots with 7-9 seats and about 2,100 nm of range. Here is how pricing works and where these legs turn up.
Midsize jet empty leg flights are one-way trips an operator has to fly anyway to get the aircraft back to base or to its next booking. The crew and fuel are already committed, so the seat cost usually lands below a standard charter quote on the same city pair. The trade is flexibility: the departure window is set by the operator, and the leg vanishes once another party books it. Bet on a midsize jet empty leg flight in 2026 being quoted one way, never as a round trip, so you compare it against the round-trip charter you would otherwise buy and against a commercial seat plus a rental car. This site is a broker acting as your agent under DOT Part 295; the flight runs under an FAA Part 135 operator who holds operational control.
Most requests start with a date range and two or three airports you can live with. Hourly rates for the class run $5,200 to $7,800, and that is the number any discount is measured against on a repositioning leg. A short hop such as Los Angeles to Las Vegas at 199 nm carries a standard estimate of $5,000 to $8,000, and an empty leg on that pair is where the savings show up fastest. Longer repositioning flights, say New York to Miami at 949 nm and about 2h 34m, are where the math gets interesting because the hourly comparison stretches over more hours of flying. Ask what the operator's one-way positioning need actually is, then work backward from the date.
Comparisons work better when you keep two numbers in view: the empty leg price and the full charter price for the same route on the same aircraft type. If the gap is thin, a standard charter buys you a departure time you choose. If the gap is wide and your dates are already loose, the repositioning leg is the better buy. Either way, get the operator's name in writing before you pay, and confirm whether the leg is firm or still tentative. A confirmed midsize leg out of the New York area or Los Angeles is worth moving on the same day you see it, because the list of available legs turns over quickly.
Hawker 800XP
- 8 seats
- 447 kt cruise
- 2,540 nm range
- 50 cu ft baggage
The Hawker 800XP seats 8 and cruises at 447 knots with 2,540 nm of range, which covers every route on this page including New York to Los Angeles at 2,129 nm. The cabin stands 5 ft 9 in tall and runs 21 ft 4 in long, with 50 cu ft of baggage. On a 949 nm repositioning leg from New York to Miami, plan on about 2h 34m in the air. Ask the operator for the tail number and current maintenance status before you commit to a Hawker 800XP empty leg, and confirm the baggage load against your group size.
Cessna Citation XLS+
- 8 seats
- 441 kt cruise
- 2,100 nm range
- 90 cu ft baggage
The Citation XLS+ seats 8 and cruises at 441 knots with 2,100 nm of range. Cabin height is 5 ft 8 in over an 18 ft 6 in length, and baggage comes in at 90 cu ft, generous for a midsize jet and useful on ski trips where boards and boots travel separately. A 902 nm leg from New York to Palm Beach runs about 2h 27m. Confirm the actual baggage load with the operator before you book an XLS+ empty leg if you are carrying oversized gear or a full group of eight.
When midsize jet empty legs appear
- Repositioning after a one-way charter puts a midsize jet empty leg flight on the market when an aircraft drops passengers in Miami and needs to reach New York for a Thursday booking. That Wednesday leg runs 949 nm in roughly 2h 34m.
- Seasonal moves to ski country. Operators shift tails toward Aspen and back out in spring; New York to Aspen is 1,503 nm and about 3h 53m, and Los Angeles to Aspen is 634 nm and about 1h 49m.
- Event and holiday weekends. South Florida and the Hamptons pull aircraft in one direction, and the return legs are the ones that get released at a discount rather than flown empty.
- Aircraft type swaps. When an operator substitutes a larger or smaller tail for a booking, the ferry leg often goes out to the market instead of flying with nobody aboard.
Limits of booking midsize empty legs
If your plans move, then an empty leg is usually the wrong product, because the departure time belongs to the operator and changes or cancellations are common. If the operator cancels a midsize jet empty leg flight, then you are owed a refund or a rebooking, and a broker should tell you that before you pay rather than after. Some sellers ask for payment in full at booking with narrow refund windows, so read the terms first and get the cancellation policy in writing.
International legs add customs and border clearance through CBP, and passengers need valid identification for TSA screening at the departure airport. Baggage is capped by the aircraft, not by the fare; 50 cu ft on a Hawker 800XP is plenty for four people and tight for eight with golf clubs. When an empty leg is not held with payment, then the quote is good only until the next call, so treat any estimate as provisional once someone else is in line for the same tail.
Midsize jet rates on major routes
Empty legs follow demand, not a published timetable. The heaviest flow runs between the Northeast and Florida, with Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Bay Area filling out the West. Below are a few typical midsize legs with estimates for the same city pair on a standard charter.
Midsize jet flight times and rates per route
On these 16 routes a midsize jet takes 0h 30m to 6h 08m, with one-way estimates running $5,000 to $48,000.
| Route | Time | Estimate one-way |
|---|---|---|
| New York → Miami | 2h 34m | $13,500–$20,000 |
| New York → Los Angeles | 6h 08m + stop | $32,000–$48,000 |
| Los Angeles → Las Vegas | 0h 46m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| New York → Palm Beach | 2h 27m | $13,000–$19,000 |
| Los Angeles → San Francisco | 0h 58m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| New York → Aspen | 3h 53m | $20,000–$30,500 |
| Los Angeles → Aspen | 1h 49m | $9,500–$14,000 |
| New York → The Hamptons | 0h 30m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Chicago → New York | 1h 47m | $9,000–$14,000 |
| Dallas → Houston | 0h 48m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Miami → Nassau | 0h 41m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| New York → Boston | 0h 41m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Washington, DC → New York | 0h 46m | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Los Angeles → Cabo San Lucas | 2h 14m | $11,500–$17,500 |
| Dallas → Las Vegas | 2h 30m | $13,000–$19,500 |
| Chicago → Miami | 2h 44m | $14,500–$21,500 |
Questions
What are midsize jet empty leg flights and how much do they cost?
They are one-way repositioning trips sold below standard charter rates, quoted against hourly rates of $5,200 to $7,800 for the class. A 199 nm hop such as Los Angeles to Las Vegas carries a standard estimate of $5,000 to $8,000, and an empty leg on the same pair usually comes in under that. Prices are estimates, not quotes, until an operator confirms the tail and date. Ask for the operator name in writing.
How many passengers fit on a midsize jet empty leg?
Seven to nine, depending on the airframe. The Hawker 800XP and Citation XLS+ each seat 8. Baggage matters as much as seats: the Hawker offers 50 cu ft and the XLS+ offers 90 cu ft, so a group of eight with hard cases should ask about the specific aircraft before booking. Confirm the load with the operator, not just the broker.
How far can a midsize jet fly without a stop?
About 2,100 nm for the class. The Hawker 800XP reaches 2,540 nm and the Citation XLS+ reaches 2,100 nm, so New York to Miami at 949 nm and New York to Aspen at 1,503 nm both work nonstop. New York to Los Angeles at 2,129 nm is listed as a one-stop route for this class, so plan for a fuel stop on that pair.
When do empty legs to Florida show up?
Most often on the return direction after a peak weekend or holiday, when aircraft that flew south need to get back north. New York to Palm Beach is 902 nm and about 2h 27m, and New York to Miami is 949 nm and about 2h 34m. Watch Wednesday and Sunday evenings, and be ready to decide the same day, since these legs move fast.
Who operates the flight and who is responsible for it?
The operating company flies the aircraft and holds operational control under FAA Part 135 rules. This site is a broker and acts as your agent, which is the DOT Part 295 role. That means safety and scheduling responsibility sits with the operator, and your contract and payment terms should name that operator clearly. Ask to see the operator's certificate before you commit.
Can I change the date on an empty leg booking?
Rarely, and usually not. The leg exists because the aircraft has to be somewhere at a set time, so the schedule is the product. If flexibility matters more than price, book a standard charter instead and treat the empty leg as a bonus when it lines up with dates you already had. Ask about cancellation terms before paying, and get them in writing.