Empty leg flights from Palm Beach

Palm Beach runs one of the most extreme seasonal private aviation markets in the country. From Thanksgiving through Easter, the airports in Palm Beach County handle more private jet movements per day than at any other comparable metro area outside New York. The inbound traffic comes from New York, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto: winter residents, wealthy families, and corporate executives with South Florida offices arrive via charter in a pattern that has been consistent for decades.

Every aircraft that arrives from the northeast is a potential outbound empty leg. The directional imbalance is stark: far more aircraft arrive from New York than depart to it, so northbound legs from Palm Beach to Teterboro are the most abundant empty legs in Florida, appearing multiple times per week at substantial discounts from November through April. The corridor is liquid enough that prices are transparent and competition among operators keeps the discount deep.

The summer market is not dead, just smaller. Palm Beach has enough year-round residents and corporate activity (financial services, real estate, family offices) to sustain weekday charter demand. The intra-Florida market (Palm Beach to Naples, Miami, Tampa) runs year-round at lower volumes and produces repositioning legs less predictably than the winter northbound pattern.

Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI) is the primary private aviation facility, handling heavy jets, ultra-long-range aircraft, and international arrivals with customs clearance. Signature and Atlantic both operate full-service FBOs. During peak winter season (December through March), KPBI ramp space fills by mid-morning on Fridays and Saturdays; operators arriving without pre-arranged parking on holiday weekends may find the apron crowded. The airport shares runways with commercial carriers but the GA terminal operates independently. Ground time to Palm Beach island via the Southern Boulevard bridge is 15-20 minutes; to downtown West Palm Beach, 10-15 minutes.

Palm Beach County Park Airport (KLNA) in Lantana is 5 miles south of KPBI and handles light jets and turboprops. It functions as the overflow option when KPBI is at capacity, and its lighter traffic typically means faster ramp service. The drive to Palm Beach island from Lantana is 20-25 minutes. For trips to Delray Beach or Boynton Beach, KLNA reduces the drive compared to KPBI.

Boca Raton Airport (KBCT) covers the southern end of Palm Beach County, 20 miles south of the island. Atlantic Aviation operates the FBO. For meetings in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, or northern Broward County, KBCT eliminates a long drive up I-95 and is the correct airport for that catchment area. Ramp availability at Boca is generally easier than KPBI even during peak season.

Empty legs departing from Palm Beach currently range from $2,500 to $26,800. The average listed price sits around $12,604. Broken down by aircraft: midsize jets averaging $8,938, super-midsize jets averaging $16,163, heavy jets averaging $17,000.

Popular routes with current pricing: Toronto, ON at $15,500-$26,800; Nassau, NP at $3,200-$8,900; Moss Town, EX at $16,600. Route availability rotates as operators reposition aircraft, so today's routes may differ from next week's.

We track 288 active legs from this area. 30 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.