Uber is offering a new helicopter service in Manhattan starting next month that the company said will save travelers time -- but for a price.
The ride-hailing company told The New York Times it will begin offering eight-minute, one-way flights between lower Manhattan and Kennedy International Airport for between $200 and $225 per person Monday through Fridays beginning July 9.
Riders will be able to book Uber Copter, which is managed by Uber's Elevate division, just like its car service, through the Uber app, the Times reported, but only Uber Rewards Platinum and Diamond members can access the air service to begin with.
"This is a trip that so many travelers make a day, and we see an opportunity to save them a huge amount of time on it," Eric Allison, the head of Uber Elevate, told the newspaper.
The drive between Lower Manhattan and JFK. can take up to two hours by car during rush hour and more than an hour by subway or rail.
If the program is successful in New York, Uber said it will expand to more cities.
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“Our plan is to eventually roll out Uber Copter to more Uber customers and to other cities, but we want to do it right,” Allison said. “The main goal of this initial venture is to understand the operations behind aerial vehicles.”
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