What to Know
- Uber will offer on-demand helicopter rides between Lower Manhattan and JFK starting July 9th.
- Each ride will cost at least $200 per passenger.
- Uper Copter will act as a pilot program for Uber’s air-based division, Uber Elevate.
Uber will offer on-demand helicopter rides between Lower Manhattan and JFK starting July 9th -- and each ride will cost at least $200 per passenger.
The service, Uber Copter, will operate during the day on weekdays and is booked through the app but only open to top members of the company’s loyalty program, Uber said. The ride will take eight minutes, which is substantially shorter than the hour (or more) it takes by train or car.
Uper Copter will act as a pilot program for Uber’s air-based division, Uber Elevate.
“Uber Copter offers the first real demonstration of the Elevate experience,” said head of Uber Elevate, Eric Allison, in a statement. “We’ve built Uber Copter to provide us with insight and real-world experience as we continue to lay the foundation for Uber Air.”
UberCopter rides will be operated by HeliFlite, a Newark-based helicopter charter company. The helicopters will take off and land at heliports near the Staten Island Ferry in Manhattan and by Terminal 8 at JFK.
The service is only available only to users who are Platinum and Diamond members of the company’s loyalty program Uber Rewards.
