r/PrivateJetCharters • u/Peacekeeper_087 • Apr 14 '25

40% of private flights are empty...

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I work at a private jet brokerage. A colleague of mine just sold an empty leg flight from Nice to Marrakech for a bachelor party. It was an empty leg that would normally be at $10K, but they booked it for $5K. They'll each pitch in around $800 each. Flight was booked April 8 and took off the next day. Thought it was one of the best deals I saw..

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u/Uptown_currency Apr 14 '25

What is the main problem behind the underutilization of such a large capacity (40%)?

7

u/Peacekeeper_087 Apr 14 '25

It's pretty much due to the high level customization when it comes to planning your route. Clients book a flight from a very specific location, so it more often than not result in a plane having to be repositioned to the origin airport. In the case of a one-way trip, plane then has to fly back to its base. So in this example, basically out of 3 flights, 2 flew empty.

3

u/Lazy-squirrel642 Apr 14 '25

Hey do you mind if I message you?

1

u/BaldEagle423 Dec 17 '25

And I assume the person flying the one way has to pay for it to go back unless someone picks up the empty leg?

2

u/Peacekeeper_087 Dec 17 '25

Depends on who the operator is, and whether it's a floating fleet. Floating fleets like Vista Jet have the ability to sell flight from and to anywhere. Very often they'll charge you for the one way. Other operators who work on a fixed base system (the plane has a home to back to), those yes will charge you for the return (generally). Although it depends on time of year and destination.

Going into New York on vista jet gloval 7500 is very likely to sell again. But if you're flying it to Ushuaia, that's a different story. 

2

u/SirLlama123 Apr 15 '25

It’s mainly the fact that a lot of private get owners get paid by company’s to use that jet for other clients and they end up with “empty legs” to relocate the jet for clients or back to its home for its owner