Deadhead (Empty Leg)

Category: aviation

A flight segment where an aircraft operates without any passengers, usually to reposition for the next charter.

Deadheading is the "repositioning" cost. If a jet drops passengers off in Florida but is based in New York, the flight back to New York is a "deadhead." These legs are often sold at a deep discount to the public to recoup operational fuel and crew costs.

Common Examples

• We secured a major discount by booking an empty-leg deadhead flight that was already scheduled to reposition to our destination.
• Managing deadhead flight efficiency is the primary factor in determining the profitability of a private charter operator’s business model.