Miloch
October 5th 19, 01:58 AM
http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/i-took-uber-copter-from-manhattan-to-jfk%e2%80%94heres-what-its-like/ar-AAIdxDd?li=BBnbklE
In July, Uber launched its Uber Copter helicopter service between Manhattan and
New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport for Uber Platinum and Uber Diamond rewards
members. But as of Thursday, October 3, Uber Copter is now available for all
Uber riders with iPhones flying in and out of JFK.
AFAR tried it out to see what it’s actually like. Here’s what I thought:
How do you book an Uber Copter?
Uber touts Uber Copter as its “first multimodal option that seamlessly
transports riders from Manhattan to JFK at the tap of a button.” And it really
is that simple. To book an Uber Copter, all I had to do was choose a pickup
location below the geofence Uber set up covering all of downtown Manhattan south
of Houston Street and select the “Copter” option that popped up. From there, it
scheduled my car pickup in Manhattan, the flight, and another car at JFK to drop
me off at my terminal.
An Uber car picked me up at 10:25 a.m. near Lafayette and Houston Street,
dropped me off at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport near Pier 6 by 10:44 a.m., and
I boarded my Uber Copter at 10:50 a.m. My helicopter had initially been booked
for an 11 a.m. departure, but since Uber coordinated my car pickup and we
arrived a little early, I was also able to take off earlier. On the way to the
airport, we flew directly over Governors Island and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park,
while also taking in incredible views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of
Liberty.
Just 10 minutes later we landed at JFK’s private jet terminal. From there,
another Uber car drove me to my destination—the TWA Hotel—by 11:10 a.m.
Moving forward, flights will be available to all riders Monday through Friday
during afternoon rush hours roughly from 2 to 6 p.m. local time. Uber Copter can
be booked both on-demand and up to five days in advance. Because the service
only opened up to all Uber users today, it’s hard to say how popular the service
could be and if it could book up completely when you want to travel. If you’re a
planner like me, it’s best to book in advance to secure a spot.
How long does Uber Copter take?
Door-to-door the trip was 45 minutes in total. If I had left from closer to Wall
Street, it could’ve been even faster. In a car, it would’ve taken at least an
hour and 15 minutes with traffic. Via train, Google Maps says it would’ve also
taken around an hour and 15 minutes. But taking into account at least one
transfer and connecting to the Air Train at JFK, I usually give myself an hour
and a half if I’m taking the subway to JFK from Manhattan.
How much does Uber Copter cost?
The entire cost of the helicopter flight and the two car rides came to $205.34
(not including the tip). When I booked my flight, the app showed me that an
UberX all the way to JFK would have been $75.53 and an Uber Black would’ve cost
$126.02, making the Uber Copter flight slightly more expensive. Pricing will
fluctuate based on demand, since the two Uber Copters operating in NYC can each
accommodate five riders. But Uber says it will max out at $225 per ride. Uber
Copter is priced per passenger.
A Blade Airport helicopter flight between Manhattan and JFK, Newark, and
LaGuardia airports can be booked for $195 per seat. However, that only includes
ground transportation between the helipad and the airline terminal once you
land, so for solo travelers Uber Copter ends up being the cheaper option from
Manhattan since it also includes the car fare to the heliport.
If you’re traveling with friends or family, however, Blade’s charter helicopter
option can be booked in advance for as little as $695 and can be split among six
people, bringing the cost down to about $115 per person. If you aren’t flying
with six people, any extra seats will be available to other Blade fliers to
reduce the price of the charter.
Who operates Uber Copter?
Unlike regular Uber cars, Uber Copter is operated by its partner HeliFlite
instead of simply anyone who can fly and operate a helicopter. There are
currently two Uber Copters that are both twin engine and dual pilot aircraft. As
a first-time helicopter rider, I was a little nervous about turbulence, but the
twin engines made it fly as smoothly as a regular airplane and the cabin was
spacious, too.
The bottom line
Because Uber Copter can only be booked from below Houston Street, this option
really only makes sense for people who live or work in downtown Manhattan. But
if you check that box, Uber Copter is worth booking the next time you go to JFK,
whether you’re a business traveler who doesn’t have time to sit in traffic or a
solo traveler who wants to splurge and take in the epic views from a helicopter
window. Considering that a similar-length sightseeing helicopter tour of the
city costs $199 (plus a $35 heliport fee), this would even make a great
experience gift for anyone you know who is planning a trip to New York soon. All
you need to do is purchase an Uber Gift Card online so they can add credit to
their account.
What’s next for Uber Copter?
Currently, Uber only has plans to operate Uber Copter in New York out of JFK
airport. But this is all just the start of something bigger for Uber’s aviation
arm.
“This is our first step to what will become a future Uber Air network,” said
Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate.
Uber Elevate will eventually expand into an aerial ridesharing network of eVTOL
(electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft in Dallas, Los Angeles, and
Melbourne, Australia, by 2023. These aircraft take off and land vertically like
a helicopter but don’t have rotors so they are quieter. Because they are
electric, they are also more eco-friendly than helicopters. In addition to
airport drop-off and pickups, Uber Elevate also hopes to use the eVTOL fleet for
intercity transit to alleviate traffic in these three cities with a similar
price point to Uber Black fares.
“The vision [of the eVTOL] is to get a product that will get into more people’s
hands,” Allison told AFAR.
*
In July, Uber launched its Uber Copter helicopter service between Manhattan and
New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport for Uber Platinum and Uber Diamond rewards
members. But as of Thursday, October 3, Uber Copter is now available for all
Uber riders with iPhones flying in and out of JFK.
AFAR tried it out to see what it’s actually like. Here’s what I thought:
How do you book an Uber Copter?
Uber touts Uber Copter as its “first multimodal option that seamlessly
transports riders from Manhattan to JFK at the tap of a button.” And it really
is that simple. To book an Uber Copter, all I had to do was choose a pickup
location below the geofence Uber set up covering all of downtown Manhattan south
of Houston Street and select the “Copter” option that popped up. From there, it
scheduled my car pickup in Manhattan, the flight, and another car at JFK to drop
me off at my terminal.
An Uber car picked me up at 10:25 a.m. near Lafayette and Houston Street,
dropped me off at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport near Pier 6 by 10:44 a.m., and
I boarded my Uber Copter at 10:50 a.m. My helicopter had initially been booked
for an 11 a.m. departure, but since Uber coordinated my car pickup and we
arrived a little early, I was also able to take off earlier. On the way to the
airport, we flew directly over Governors Island and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park,
while also taking in incredible views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of
Liberty.
Just 10 minutes later we landed at JFK’s private jet terminal. From there,
another Uber car drove me to my destination—the TWA Hotel—by 11:10 a.m.
Moving forward, flights will be available to all riders Monday through Friday
during afternoon rush hours roughly from 2 to 6 p.m. local time. Uber Copter can
be booked both on-demand and up to five days in advance. Because the service
only opened up to all Uber users today, it’s hard to say how popular the service
could be and if it could book up completely when you want to travel. If you’re a
planner like me, it’s best to book in advance to secure a spot.
How long does Uber Copter take?
Door-to-door the trip was 45 minutes in total. If I had left from closer to Wall
Street, it could’ve been even faster. In a car, it would’ve taken at least an
hour and 15 minutes with traffic. Via train, Google Maps says it would’ve also
taken around an hour and 15 minutes. But taking into account at least one
transfer and connecting to the Air Train at JFK, I usually give myself an hour
and a half if I’m taking the subway to JFK from Manhattan.
How much does Uber Copter cost?
The entire cost of the helicopter flight and the two car rides came to $205.34
(not including the tip). When I booked my flight, the app showed me that an
UberX all the way to JFK would have been $75.53 and an Uber Black would’ve cost
$126.02, making the Uber Copter flight slightly more expensive. Pricing will
fluctuate based on demand, since the two Uber Copters operating in NYC can each
accommodate five riders. But Uber says it will max out at $225 per ride. Uber
Copter is priced per passenger.
A Blade Airport helicopter flight between Manhattan and JFK, Newark, and
LaGuardia airports can be booked for $195 per seat. However, that only includes
ground transportation between the helipad and the airline terminal once you
land, so for solo travelers Uber Copter ends up being the cheaper option from
Manhattan since it also includes the car fare to the heliport.
If you’re traveling with friends or family, however, Blade’s charter helicopter
option can be booked in advance for as little as $695 and can be split among six
people, bringing the cost down to about $115 per person. If you aren’t flying
with six people, any extra seats will be available to other Blade fliers to
reduce the price of the charter.
Who operates Uber Copter?
Unlike regular Uber cars, Uber Copter is operated by its partner HeliFlite
instead of simply anyone who can fly and operate a helicopter. There are
currently two Uber Copters that are both twin engine and dual pilot aircraft. As
a first-time helicopter rider, I was a little nervous about turbulence, but the
twin engines made it fly as smoothly as a regular airplane and the cabin was
spacious, too.
The bottom line
Because Uber Copter can only be booked from below Houston Street, this option
really only makes sense for people who live or work in downtown Manhattan. But
if you check that box, Uber Copter is worth booking the next time you go to JFK,
whether you’re a business traveler who doesn’t have time to sit in traffic or a
solo traveler who wants to splurge and take in the epic views from a helicopter
window. Considering that a similar-length sightseeing helicopter tour of the
city costs $199 (plus a $35 heliport fee), this would even make a great
experience gift for anyone you know who is planning a trip to New York soon. All
you need to do is purchase an Uber Gift Card online so they can add credit to
their account.
What’s next for Uber Copter?
Currently, Uber only has plans to operate Uber Copter in New York out of JFK
airport. But this is all just the start of something bigger for Uber’s aviation
arm.
“This is our first step to what will become a future Uber Air network,” said
Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate.
Uber Elevate will eventually expand into an aerial ridesharing network of eVTOL
(electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft in Dallas, Los Angeles, and
Melbourne, Australia, by 2023. These aircraft take off and land vertically like
a helicopter but don’t have rotors so they are quieter. Because they are
electric, they are also more eco-friendly than helicopters. In addition to
airport drop-off and pickups, Uber Elevate also hopes to use the eVTOL fleet for
intercity transit to alleviate traffic in these three cities with a similar
price point to Uber Black fares.
“The vision [of the eVTOL] is to get a product that will get into more people’s
hands,” Allison told AFAR.
*