Yep, you read the title right… looks like Uber is finally venturing into aerial transportation and starting the process with what will be a massive time saver for those getting to and from the airport.
Kicking off July 9th, passengers can book Uber Copter just like they would normally book a car through the app.
The duration of the entire flight from Lower Manhattan to JFK and vice versa will take approximately 8 minutes, a welcome change from the usual chaotic rush hour traffic that can sometimes make the trip home up to two hours. As for public transportation, the standard time will always take around an hour minimum. Compared to Uber’s premium service, which promises around 30 minutes to take passengers door to door.
Unfortunately, this service will initially only be available for users of Uber Rewards (their loyalty program), who can book a chopper for 5 people, Mon-Fri, during the afternoon rush, for approx $200 per person (only carry-on luggage allowed). Look, we never said this was going to be cheap.
Don’t worry, transport to and from the helicopter pad will be provided in Manhattan and JFK. Uber already have a competitor known as Blade, a company offering rides to and from nearby airports in the city as well. Once July rolls around, it’ll be interesting to see how the two businesses navigate within such a niche area.
Source: Secret NYC; featured image: uber.com
