What Is a Charter Broker?
A charter broker arranges private jet flights on behalf of clients. They don’t own aircraft - instead, they act as the middleman between the person who wants to fly and the operators who have the planes.
You tell the broker where you want to go, when, how many passengers, and any specific requirements - catering, pets, ground transfers, that sort of thing. The broker then searches across a network of aircraft operators, finds what’s available, checks safety records and certifications, and comes back to you with a shortlist of options with pricing.
Once you pick one, the broker handles everything: landing permits, catering, crew arrangements, and any last-minute changes. Most brokers operate around the clock and can turn a booking around in 24 to 72 hours, sometimes less.
It’s essentially a concierge service for flying. You don’t need to know which operators exist, what aircraft suits your route, or how to navigate aviation logistics. The broker does all of that.
How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Private Jet?
It varies massively depending on the aircraft, distance, and demand. As a rough guide for UK and European flights, a light jet from London to Paris starts from around £4,000-£6,000 one way. A midsize jet for longer European routes might run £8,000-£15,000. Heavy jets for transatlantic flights can cost upwards of £50,000.
These are full aircraft prices, not per person. Split between a group, the per-person cost can sometimes approach the price of commercial first-class tickets, particularly on short European routes where the convenience and time savings are significant.
What Are Empty Leg Flights?
This is where it gets interesting for anyone who’s ever wanted to try private aviation without the full price tag.
Every time a private jet is booked for a one-way flight, the aircraft still has to get to its next job or return to base. That repositioning flight - with no passengers on board - is called an empty leg.
Rather than fly completely empty, operators and brokers offer these flights at steep discounts, typically 30% to 75% off the standard charter price. A flight that would normally cost £5,000 might be available as an empty leg for £1,500-£2,000.
What’s the Catch?
There are a few trade-offs that come with the discount. You can’t choose the route - it’s wherever the aircraft is already going. The dates and times are fixed and usually only confirmed a few days before departure. If the original charter booking changes or cancels, the empty leg can disappear with it. And it’s one-way only, so you’ll need to arrange your return separately.
Empty legs suit people who are flexible on timing and happen to need a route that matches. They’re popular for weekend trips to the South of France, ski transfers to Geneva, and short hops between London and destinations like Edinburgh, Dublin, or Ibiza.
Where Can You Find Empty Legs?
Most charter brokers publish their available empty legs on their websites. In the UK, companies like Victor, PrivateFly, and Air Charter Service all list current availability. There are also apps and platforms that aggregate empty legs from multiple operators in one place.
It’s worth signing up to alerts if you’re genuinely interested - the best deals go quickly, and availability changes daily.
The UK Private Aviation Market
The UK is widely regarded as Europe’s largest business aviation market, with London consistently described as the continent’s biggest private aviation hub. Farnborough is among the busiest dedicated business aviation airports in Europe, while London Luton handles tens of thousands of private jet movements annually and Biggin Hill ranks among Europe’s top ten for business aviation traffic.
Globally, the private aircraft and business aviation market is forecast to reach $38.2 billion in 2026, up from $34.0 billion the previous year - reflecting a permanent post-pandemic reset in demand for private air travel.
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just curious about how it all works, charter brokers and empty legs are two of the most important pieces of the puzzle.
Anyways, we hope you’ve learnt something new today!
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