What is an empty leg
An empty leg is a flight on which a private aircraft travels without passengers to reposition: to reach the starting point of its next trip or to return to base. Since the flight is happening anyway, it is offered at a special rate.
It happens all the time. If someone books a one-way flight from Buenos Aires to Punta del Este, the aircraft then has to fly back to San Fernando. If another client needs to depart from Santiago, Chile, the aircraft has to fly there to pick them up. Those legs without passengers are empty legs.
At Flyzar, empty legs are repositioning legs flown by our own jets. You fly on the same aircraft, with the same crew and the same service as on any charter; the only difference is how the flight is set.
Why an empty leg costs less
On a charter you book the whole aircraft for the date and time you choose, and the quote also covers the aircraft's return to base. On an empty leg, the flight is already scheduled for another reason. That is why it can be offered for a fraction of the price of a charter on the same route.
If you are looking for cheaper private flights, empty legs are the first place to look. The difference from a charter is not the aircraft or the service but the flexibility: the date, time and route are set by the repositioning, not by the passenger.
Whole aircraft or by the seat: shared private flights
Flyzar empty legs are offered in two ways. You can book the whole aircraft, for you and your companions, up to the jet's capacity. Or you can book only the seats you need: share the aircraft and pay only for your seat.
Selling by the seat is the most affordable way to fly private. You travel on the same jet with the same crew, alongside other passengers who booked that leg. It is a good fit if you are traveling alone or as a couple and your date matches the flight.
The number of seats depends on the aircraft: a Phenom 100 takes up to 6 passengers, a Learjet 60 between 7 and 8, a Challenger 605 up to 10 and a Gulfstream up to 14.
How to find an empty leg in Argentina
Since our aircraft are based in San Fernando, a leg often starts or ends there, but destinations change with the fleet's operations. To hear about one as soon as it is published, there are four ways:
- The empty legs page, with current legs in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile and beyond: date, aircraft and available seats.
- An alert for your route: choose your origin and destination, and we will message you on WhatsApp when there is an empty leg on your route.
- The weekly newsletter: every week, the available empty legs land in your inbox.
- WhatsApp: message us with the route and date you have in mind and we will tell you whether there is a repositioning flight that works for you.
How to book an empty leg
Booking is simple and done by message. Since legs are subject to availability, it is best to contact us as soon as you see one that suits you:
- Pick the leg on the page, or get the notice from your alert.
- Message us on WhatsApp or by email to request the whole aircraft or book your seats.
- We confirm availability and ask for each passenger's details and documents.
- On the day, you arrive at the departure airport with your documents at the time we give you.
What to keep in mind before booking
An empty leg is not a tailor-made charter. That is why it works best for trips with some flexibility: a weekend getaway, a visit you can move by a day or a return with no rush. If you need to leave on an exact date and time, a charter gives you that certainty. Before booking, keep this in mind:
- Fixed date and time. They are set by the repositioning, with little room to move them.
- Subject to operations. If the flight behind it changes, the empty leg may be rescheduled or cancelled.
- One leg only. It is a one-way flight, so plan your return, whether on another empty leg in the opposite direction or on a charter.
- The usual documents. If the leg is international, immigration and customs work as on any private flight.