You Can Soon Book a Blade Helicopter on Uber in the U.S.-What to Know

"Rideshare company Uber plans to offer seats on Blade helicopters and seaplanes directly through its app, allowing customers to book fast rides between city hubs, to airports, and more, the company shared with Travel + Leisure. Currently, space on Blade's helicopters to the airport start at $195 per person (significantly more than a typical Uber ride), while larger groups can instead charter an entire Blade helicopter accommodating up to eight passengers starting at around $2,000, according to the helicopter company."

""Since Uber's earliest days, we've believed in the power of advanced air mobility to deliver safe, quiet, and sustainable transportation to cities around the world," "By harnessing the scale of the Uber platform... we're excited to bring our customers the next generation of travel.""

"While undoubtedly costly, Blade can be a time-saving tool since traffic can heavily impact driving times, especially in large cities. Driving from New York City to JFK, for example, can often take an hour or longer, but Blade said a helicopter ride from the company's launchpad in Manhattan to the airport takes just 5 minutes. Upon landing, a Blade vehicle then takes passengers to their departure terminal."

Uber plans to sell seats on Blade helicopters and seaplanes directly through the Uber app to provide fast rides between city hubs, airports, and other destinations. Individual Blade helicopter seats to airports start at about $195 per person, while full-charter helicopters for up to eight passengers start around $2,000. The integrated booking feature is not expected to launch until at least 2026. Blade currently operates in the New York area and southern Europe, serving routes such as Manhattan-to-JFK and Nice-to-Cannes. Last month, Blade's passenger business was acquired by Joby Aviation, which aims to develop rideshare-style electric aircraft.

Read at Travel + Leisure