Empty leg flights from Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs has the largest concentration of military installations in the country -- Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, Fort Carson, NORAD, and the Air Force Academy all have major presences in El Paso County. That military and defense infrastructure drives the city's private aviation market in ways that are distinct from Colorado's leisure-driven Denver and Aspen markets.

Defense contractors follow the bases. Lockheed Martin Space, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Boeing Space, and dozens of smaller cybersecurity and space technology firms have significant operations in Colorado Springs specifically because their government clients are there. Those companies run regular charter programs between Colorado Springs and the defense clusters in northern Virginia, Huntsville, and the Washington-Baltimore corridor.

The Broadmoor Resort, a five-star property in the foothills west of the city, adds a luxury travel layer. The Broadmoor hosts PGA Tour events, corporate conference groups, and the annual Space Symposium (one of the most significant space industry conferences in the world) each April. Those events drive periodic private aviation surges that overlay the defense contractor baseline.

Denver is 90 miles north and handles the bulk of Colorado corporate travel. Colorado Springs functions as a distinct market for destinations within the city rather than as a Denver alternative. The two airports rarely compete for the same passengers.

Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS) is a combined commercial and general aviation facility east of the city. Signature Flight Support operates the primary FBO. KCOS runways extend to 13,501 feet at 6,187 feet elevation, which handles any aircraft without performance restrictions despite the altitude. The elevation adds to density altitude calculations on warm days but is well within the operating envelope of all business jet categories.

The airport is 8 miles from downtown Colorado Springs and 6 miles from Peterson Space Force Base. Ground transport to the Broadmoor, in the foothills southwest of the city, takes 25-35 minutes.

Executive Air Charter at KCOS operates as a secondary FBO for smaller aircraft and provides a competitive alternative for operators without a Signature account. Both FBOs coordinate ground transport.

Denver International Airport (KDEN) is 90 miles north -- about an hour and 15 minutes by car. KDEN is the right gateway for Colorado Springs passengers whose aircraft face performance constraints at KCOS altitude, or for passengers connecting to international commercial flights. Most private aviation bound for Colorado Springs uses KCOS directly.

Empty legs departing from Colorado Springs currently range from $1,438 to $9,100. The average listed price sits around $5,253. Broken down by aircraft: midsize jets averaging $5,646, heavy jets averaging $4,076.

Popular routes with current pricing: El Paso, TX at $9,100; Houston, TX at $6,400; Omaha, NE at $4,076. Route availability rotates as operators reposition aircraft, so today's routes may differ from next week's.

We track 17 active legs from this area. 4 have published prices; the rest are quote-on-request. Operators often add pricing closer to the departure date, so checking back frequently or setting an alert catches deals as they appear.