A ferry flight is the transport of an aircraft for the sole purpose of changing the location of the aircraft. It can be used for various purposes, such as returning an aircraft to base, delivery to a customer, moving from one base of operations to another, or moving to or from a maintenance facility for maintenance, repair, and operations. Ferry flights are often necessary following a major weather event or other similar disruption that causes multiple cancellations across an airlines network, resulting in many aircraft and crew being out of position for normal operations.

Ferry flights can be used to deliver a new aircraft to a customer, move an aircraft to and from a maintenance base, or reposition an empty aircraft. Before an aircraft can be considered for ferrying, it must receive a permit, which is a written authorization issued by the National Airworthiness Authority. In rare cases, a private charter flight can double as a ferry flight, which is specifically referred to as an empty leg flight.

Dedicated ferry pilots are often performing these flights on behalf of the new owner. Ferry pilots will face all kinds of weather conditions, and they usually fly a large part over water. Immersion suits, survival rafts, new navigation databases, and EPIRBS must be available at all times. Ferry pilots will also assist the aircraft broker with getting all the signatures on the import/export documents and the final paperwork after landing on the new home base of the aircraft.