Empty Legs
How empty legs can be used effectively
Empty legs are an often-misunderstood topic in the charter flight industry. Many promotional claims suggest savings of up to 90%, but the reality is often different.
In principle, empty legs are only a true option when the date, route, and timing perfectly align with your travel plans – and that’s rarely the case. Most of the time, these flights are offered at the last minute, as airlines try until the very end to sell them as regular flights.
Advantages
- Potential for high-cost savings
- Especially affordable options for last-minute requests
- Redirected empty flights offer discounts without cancellation risk
Disadvantages
- Cancellation by the airline possible at any time
- High flexibility required
- Suitable only for one-way flights
Why empty legs are not always the best choice
The biggest disadvantage: Unpredictable cancellations. Empty flights only exist because they are connected to a main charter flight – if that flight is canceled or delayed, the airline can cancel the empty flight at any time for free. So, if you rely on a fixed travel plan, you take on a financial risk with an empty flight, as you may have to find a replacement at short notice.
Useful alternatives: Redirected empty legs
For customers who want to remain flexible but avoid incalculable risks, there’s a solution: redirected empty legs.
- In this case, no fixed empty flight is booked, but rather a regular charter that is based on an existing, necessary repositioning.
- The routing doesn’t need to match exactly – it’s enough if it goes in the same direction.
- Results: Savings of 10-30% without the risk of last-minute cancellations.
This strategy offers a win-win-win situation for customers, airlines, and brokers: flights remain predictable, while the price advantages of empty flights are still utilized.
Conclusion: Empty legs or optimized charter?
A classic empty leg can offer attractive savings—but it’s not suitable for everyone. When reliability and predictability are crucial, a redirected empty leg or an optimized charter is usually the better choice.
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