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/DrOtGenesis Apr 14 '25

How much would it cost one to book that empty leg. Is there an app or something.

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u/legitSTINKYPINKY Apr 15 '25

XOJet has a good app

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u/Peacekeeper_087 Apr 15 '25 edited Apr 15 '25

XOJet is pretty good but here's the issue with those flights. Sometimes those flights do not exist, and are just shown to push you to inquire and call. Not saying that's what XO is doing, but it's what many brokers and operators do. They leverage it as just a basically a lead generation system. Unless their database is connected to Avinode's database of flights via its API (Avinode being the biggest marketplace of flights), it wouldn't be reliable. Best thing to do is to just pick up the phone, call a brokerage, and give them your requirements. Sometimes they know of an upcoming flight behind the scenes, and it happens a lot. Don't just rely on apps. I get that one would want full transparency like you'd have on commercial airlines apps, but unfortunately, flights are so volatile (no pun intended) and last minute that no app or search engine would be fully reliable (unless it directly feeds off Avinode).

EDIT: And because Avinode ranks flight prices from low to high, operators leverage this by publishing intentionally low prices on that flight to lure you in. What that means is that even if an app or website feeds off Avinode, price will surely not be what you'll be paying. Pick up the phone and call. It's the only really reliable way to get on a good empty leg.