Empty Leg Flights in Asia Pacific: Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo & Bali

Asia Pacific: The Fastest-Growing Private Aviation Market

The Asia Pacific region represents the frontier of private aviation growth. While the industry in the US and Europe is mature and well-established, Asia's private jet market has been expanding at double-digit rates, driven by a surge of wealth creation, increasing business connectivity, and a growing appetite for luxury travel experiences. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo serve as the region's financial aviation hubs, while resort destinations like Bali, Phuket, and the Maldives generate strong leisure demand.

This growth means more charter flights — and more charter flights mean more empty legs. Although the Asian empty leg market is smaller than its Western counterparts in absolute terms, the deals that do appear often represent exceptional value because awareness and competition among buyers remain relatively low. This guide covers how to find and book empty leg flights in Asia Pacific through VOLO.

Top Asia Pacific Empty Leg Routes & Corridors

The region's most active empty leg corridors reflect the intersection of business travel and resort destinations:

• Singapore (SIN/XSP) → Bali (DPS) — The marquee leisure corridor of Southeast Asia. Wealthy Singaporeans and expatriates charter jets to Bali for weekend getaways, and the return legs are frequently available as empty legs. Light jets on this 2.5-hour route appear at $8,000–$14,000 versus $20,000–$30,000 for a standard charter.
• Hong Kong (VHHH) → Tokyo (NRT/HND) — A critical business corridor connecting two of Asia's largest financial centers. Corporate travel produces regular midweek repositioning, with midsize jets available as empty legs at $15,000–$25,000 versus $40,000–$55,000 standard.
• Singapore → Phuket (HKT) / Koh Samui (USM) — Thailand's resort islands attract a constant flow of weekend charters from Singapore. The 1.5–2 hour flights generate reliable southbound empty legs on Sunday evenings and Monday mornings.
• Jakarta (HLP/CGK) → Singapore (SIN) — Indonesian business travelers and families maintain a strong shuttle between Jakarta and Singapore. This short 1.5-hour route produces some of the most affordable empty legs in the region, occasionally dropping below $5,000 on light jets.
• Hong Kong → Manila (MNL) / Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) — Emerging corridors driven by business expansion across Southeast Asia. As more multinational companies establish regional headquarters in these cities, repositioning traffic is increasing.
• Singapore / Hong Kong → Maldives (MLE) — The ultimate luxury leisure route. Heavy jets repositioning from the Maldives back to Asian hubs after holiday charters produce some of the most coveted empty leg deals in the region.

Seasonal Patterns & Best Timing

Asia Pacific's empty leg patterns are shaped by cultural calendars, weather, and economic cycles:

• Chinese New Year (January/February) — The single largest driver of private aviation demand in Asia. Family travel surges across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and to resort destinations. The days immediately before and after the holiday produce the highest concentration of empty legs as jets reposition between charter legs.
• Golden Week (April–May, Japan; October, China) — Japan's Golden Week and China's National Day holiday both trigger waves of leisure travel to resort destinations throughout Asia Pacific. Return legs from popular vacation spots are prime empty leg opportunities.
• Dry Season in Southeast Asia (November–March) — Peak tourist season in Bali, Phuket, and the Maldives aligns with the region's dry months, creating the highest volume of resort-bound charter traffic and associated empty legs.
• Singapore events — The Singapore Airshow (February), Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix (September–October), and major fintech conferences all generate concentrated charter demand into Seletar Airport, followed by outbound repositioning flights.
• Business cycle — Q1 and Q4 see the highest levels of corporate travel between Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Sydney, producing midweek empty legs on business routes.

How Much Can You Save?

Asian empty leg pricing reflects the region's generally higher charter costs, meaning absolute savings can be substantial:

• Light jets (Phenom 300, Citation CJ3) on regional routes: Standard charter $18,000–$32,000 → Empty leg $7,000–$14,000
• Midsize jets (Citation Latitude, Hawker 800XP) on medium-haul routes: Standard charter $35,000–$55,000 → Empty leg $14,000–$24,000
• Heavy jets (Challenger 604, Global Express) on long-haul Asian routes: Standard charter $55,000–$100,000 → Empty leg $22,000–$45,000

A group of six sharing a light jet empty leg from Singapore to Bali might pay as little as $1,500–$2,300 per person — comparable to a business class airline ticket but with the convenience of flying from Seletar's private terminal with no queues, no layovers, and a departure time that suits your schedule.

Tips for Booking Asia Pacific Empty Legs

The Asian market has characteristics that differ from more established Western markets:

1. Understand the hub dynamics — Singapore and Hong Kong are the two primary hubs where most private jets are based in the region. Deals flowing out of these two cities are the most abundant, while deals from secondary cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Manila require more patience and monitoring.
2. Book during cultural holidays — Chinese New Year, Diwali, Eid, and Golden Week all create predictable charter surges. Monitor VOLO's empty leg page in the weeks surrounding these holidays for the best selection of deals.
3. Be aware of airport restrictions — Some Asian airports have noise curfews, slot restrictions, or limited private aviation facilities. For instance, Hong Kong's main airport has strict slot controls for private jets, while Seletar in Singapore is dedicated to business aviation and offers more flexible scheduling.
4. Consider the return journey — Many travelers fly commercially one way and take an empty leg for the return. This hybrid approach maximizes savings while maintaining schedule flexibility for at least one direction of your trip.
5. Start monitoring early — The Asian empty leg market is growing but is still less liquid than the US or European markets. Setting up alerts well in advance of your travel dates increases your chances of finding a matching deal.

Find Asia Pacific Empty Legs with VOLO

VOLO is actively building the most comprehensive empty leg network across Asia Pacific. Our platform connects with operators based in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Jakarta, Bangkok, and other major hubs, aggregating available repositioning flights into a single searchable marketplace.

As Asia's private aviation market continues its rapid expansion, the volume and variety of empty leg opportunities will grow with it. Position yourself to take advantage by browsing current availability on our empty legs page, or contact our empty leg concierge service to set up personalized alerts for your preferred Asia Pacific routes. Early adopters in this market stand to capture the best deals as awareness remains low and supply continues to increase.