The four models
- Vertically integrated operator-platforms — they own aircraft and sell their own empty legs (e.g. GlobeAir).
- Brokers with a consumer-facing site — they don't own aircraft, but sell empty legs they've sourced from operators (e.g. Victor, PrivateFly, LunaJets).
- B2B operator-broker marketplaces — closed to consumers, used by brokers to source empty legs from operators (Avinode).
- Direct-to-operator marketplaces — connect travellers directly to AOC operators with no broker layer (Ledig).
Side-by-side
| Coverage | Pricing | Operator-of-record | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GlobeAir | Their own fleet, ~25 aircraft, mostly Citation Mustang | Single-operator, transparent | GlobeAir | Short Mediterranean hops on light jets |
| Victor | Broad — multiple operators | Quote-based, broker margin built in | Underlying AOC operator | Bespoke charters where you want a human-curated quote |
| PrivateFly | Broad European + global | Quote-based, broker margin built in | Underlying AOC operator | Multi-leg trips and concierge service |
| LunaJets | European-focused, broker | Quote-based | Underlying AOC operator | Short-notice charter with strong account management |
| Ledig | European AOC operators, growing | Operator's own price + transparent platform fee | Direct AOC operator | Empty legs and short-lead single-aircraft on price-led routes |
Where Ledig wins, where it doesn't
We're honest about this because over-claiming is a faster way to lose your trust than under-claiming.
Where Ledig is the right choice
- You're price-led on a popular European corridor (London-Nice, Geneva-Ibiza, etc.)
- You're booking a single empty leg, not a multi-stop bespoke charter
- You want to know exactly what the operator is being paid (no broker margin)
- You're European, you care about EU consumer protection rules being followed natively
Where you should probably use someone else
- Multi-leg or bespoke charters — Victor, PrivateFly, or LunaJets have the broker workflow you actually want
- Light-jet Mediterranean hops where you don't care which operator — GlobeAir owns a fleet built specifically for this
- If you're a broker yourself — Avinode is the wholesale layer for you
The deeper point
We don't think the European empty-leg market is winner-takes-all. Different platforms solve different parts of the problem. Ledig is focused on the slice where the broker margin doesn't pay for itself — empty legs and simple short-lead charters where the operator and the traveller can transact directly without losing anything. For the rest, the existing platforms work.
See more: Avinode vs Ledig in detail, or live empty legs across Europe.