Flight time 1h 10m · 300nm · Empty legs from $5,200
300 nautical miles
Light Jet
30-75% off standard rates
Best value for this route
| Aircraft | Examples | Passengers | Estimated Cost | Empty Leg Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Jet | Citation CJ3+, Phenom 300E | 4-8 | $9,500 – $15,000 | $2,850 – $6,600 |
| Midsize Jet | Citation XLS+, Hawker 800XP | 7-9 | $13,000 – $19,500 | $3,900 – $8,800 |
| Super Midsize Jet | Citation Sovereign+, Challenger 350 | 8-10 | $16,500 – $24,500 | $4,950 – $11,000 |
| Heavy Jet | Challenger 604, Gulfstream G450 | 10-16 | $24,000 – $35,000 | $7,200 – $15,950 |
| Ultra Long Range | Global 7500, Gulfstream G650ER | 12-19 | $32,000 – $48,000 | $9,600 – $22,000 |
* Estimates based on industry averages. Actual pricing varies by operator, season, and availability. Use the calculator for detailed breakdowns.
Empty legs on this route start from $5,200 — that's up to 75% off the standard charter rate. Empty legs occur when an aircraft needs to reposition after dropping off passengers. These deals are time-sensitive and typically available 1-7 days before departure. Demand spikes around major tech events, awards season (January-March), and Coachella/festival weekends. The tech industry drives midweek demand.
Examples: Citation CJ3+, Phenom 300E, Learjet 75
Passengers: 4-8
Ideal for short to medium routes under 3 hours. Comfortable cabin for 4-6 passengers with light luggage. Best value for trips under 1,500 miles.
San Carlos (SQL) is Silicon Valley's private airport of choice — no commercial traffic, fast turnaround. Van Nuys (VNY) puts you 20 minutes from Beverly Hills.
Year-round (tech conferences, entertainment industry)
Demand spikes around major tech events, awards season (January-March), and Coachella/festival weekends. The tech industry drives midweek demand.
San Francisco to Los Angeles is California's private jet highway, driven by the tech industry, entertainment business, and venture capital deal flow. At just over an hour, this is a route where light jets are the obvious choice — you're in the air barely long enough to finish a meeting. The corridor sees constant repositioning traffic, which means empty leg deals run almost daily. For groups of 4-6, the per-person cost can be competitive with last-minute first-class commercial tickets.
Ready to get an estimate? Use our charter cost calculator to compare pricing across all aircraft types for San Francisco to Los Angeles.