SkyAccess Launches Public Platform to Book Private Jet Empty-Leg Flights
SkyAccess, a technology-driven aviation startup headquartered in Los Angeles, has officially announced the public release of its digital booking platform for private jet empty-leg flights. The launch marks a significant step in opening access to an area of aviation that has traditionally remained hidden behind broker networks and operator back-office systems. By turning unused repositioning flights into a transparent marketplace, SkyAccess seeks to redefine how travelers experience private aviation—making it more accessible, efficient, and environmentally responsible.
Unlocking a Hidden Market in Aviation
In private aviation, inefficiencies have long been accepted as part of the business model. Industry data consistently shows that approximately 40 percent of private jet flights operate without passengers on board, a phenomenon known as “empty-leg” or “deadhead” flights. These flights occur when an aircraft needs to reposition—either returning to base after dropping passengers or moving to another airport to pick up its next charter client.
While necessary for operators, these empty flights represent a vast pool of underutilized capacity. Reports from Business Airport International (2025) and Transport & Environment (2022) estimate that these non-revenue repositioning flights represent billions of dollars in lost revenue each year, as well as unnecessary fuel burn and emissions.
Until recently, most of these flights were not openly accessible to the public. They were either booked internally, kept in closed networks of charter brokers, or offered at inconsistent prices with little visibility for travelers. This lack of transparency left empty-leg flights as one of the aviation industry’s best-kept secrets.
SkyAccess is now changing that equation.
A Transparent Marketplace for Empty-Leg Travel
With the launch of its public booking portal, SkyAccess publishes real-time empty-leg flight inventory from operators around the world, allowing travelers to view availability, pricing, and routing instantly. By stripping away layers of opacity and middlemen, the platform empowers travelers to book flights directly—similar to how one would purchase a commercial airline ticket online.
“Private jet travel has always been seen as both wasteful and inaccessible,” said Daniil Buriev, Co-Founder and CEO of SkyAccess. “With SkyAccess, we’re tackling both challenges at once. Instead of jets flying empty, they can now be booked by travelers at a fraction of the traditional cost. It’s a win for passengers, operators, and the environment.”
The pricing model is particularly attractive for those who have always considered private jet travel to be out of reach. Since empty-leg flights would otherwise operate without passengers, SkyAccess can offer seats at savings of 60 to 80 percent compared to standard charter rates. In practical terms, this means that a flight which might cost $20,000 on a traditional charter could be booked for $5,000 or less on SkyAccess.
Strong Early Traction in the U.S.
Though the official public launch is happening now, SkyAccess began a soft rollout earlier in 2025, quietly testing its technology and user experience with a pilot group of customers. The results exceeded expectations:
- 30,000+ users registered nationwide, a majority of whom had never flown privately before.
- 60 percent of users are first-time private flyers, showing that the platform is expanding the private aviation market rather than cannibalizing it.
- Over 10,000 active empty-leg flights were listed during the test phase, creating one of the largest publicly accessible inventories of repositioning flights worldwide.
- Popular routes during the beta period included New York–Miami, Los Angeles–Las Vegas, Aspen, and the Bahamas—all destinations with high volumes of leisure and business travelers.
The rapid growth demonstrates that the concept of last-minute, discounted private jet travel resonates strongly with today’s travelers.
Disruption for Brokers, Opportunity for Travelers
Not everyone in the industry is celebrating the arrival of SkyAccess. For decades, charter brokers have acted as the gatekeepers of private aviation inventory, maintaining control over pricing and availability. Brokers typically charged commissions on bookings while controlling access to empty-leg deals, which were often shared selectively with preferred clients.
SkyAccess disrupts this model by creating an open, searchable, and bookable marketplace. Instead of depending on a broker’s network, travelers can browse flights themselves with full transparency. Some brokers view this shift as a direct threat to their traditional role.
“Transparency is the biggest disruption we’re bringing to private aviation,” Buriev explained. “By making inventory visible to everyone, we shift the leverage from middlemen to the traveler. It creates a more democratic and efficient ecosystem.”
Broader Implications: Accessibility, Efficiency, and Sustainability
The launch of SkyAccess has implications that go beyond convenience and price.
- Accessibility: Private jet travel has historically been a luxury reserved for the wealthy or corporate executives. By lowering the cost barrier through empty-leg bookings, SkyAccess introduces a new demographic of travelers to the experience of flying privately—families, groups of friends, and even cost-conscious business teams who value time savings.
- Efficiency: From an operator’s perspective, selling empty legs allows for incremental revenue on flights that would have occurred regardless. It improves overall aircraft utilization and supports better financial performance for operators without requiring additional flying.
- Sustainability: While private aviation often faces criticism for its carbon footprint, using existing empty legs for passenger travel avoids unnecessary additional flights. In effect, SkyAccess helps reduce wasted emissions by ensuring that jets already in the air are serving more passengers. This doesn’t eliminate emissions entirely, but it makes private aviation more resource-efficient.
A Glimpse into the Future of Private Air Travel
SkyAccess’s model reflects broader trends in the travel and transportation sectors. Consumers increasingly demand on-demand access, real-time transparency, and dynamic pricing—whether for ridesharing, hotels, or airline tickets. Private aviation, once slow to adopt digital transformation, is now beginning to catch up.
Industry analysts suggest that if platforms like SkyAccess succeed in scaling globally, they could reshape the economics of private jet travel. Empty-leg flights, once written off as an unavoidable inefficiency, may evolve into a mainstream alternative for last-minute travelers seeking flexibility and exclusivity.
SkyAccess’s growth trajectory hints at further expansion beyond the U.S. market. With thousands of private aircraft operating across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the company is well positioned to bring its model international. Additionally, integration of shared-seat options—where travelers can purchase individual seats rather than entire aircraft—could further widen the customer base.
The launch of SkyAccess’s public platform represents more than just a new booking tool; it signals a paradigm shift in private aviation. By democratizing access to empty-leg flights, the company has turned a costly inefficiency into a practical travel option. For travelers, it means unprecedented access to private jets at a fraction of the price. For operators, it unlocks untapped revenue. For the industry at large, it forces a reconsideration of transparency, efficiency, and sustainability.
In a sector long defined by exclusivity, SkyAccess is proving that technology can open doors to a new era of aviation—one where private jet travel is no longer just for the few, but increasingly within reach for many.