If you've been waiting on flying cars, Uber Copter is about to become a reality. Ok, it's not actually a Jetson's style flying car, but the ride-hailing company is expanding into the helicopter service.
Uber Copter will start taking reservations for Platinum and Diamond Uber members on July 9 in New York City. The helicopter will take passengers on eight-minute flights between Lower Manhattan and JFK International Airport in Queens. Nikhil Goel, Uber Elevate's head of product, told The New York Times that the average ride will cost between $200 and $225 a person.
"Uber Copter offers the first real demonstration of the Elevate experience. We've built Uber Copter to provide us with insight and real-world experience as we continue to lay the foundation for Uber Air," Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate, said in an emailed statement.
The rides can be booked through the app on demand or up to five days in advance for up to five people. Passengers will get a confirmation email that doubles as a boarding pass after the seats are reserved. Uber Copter will run Monday through Friday during rush hour.
Uber partnered with Heliflite, a helicopter charter company whose fleet utilizes a dual engine and dual pilot system. Uber plans to develop shared air transportation in 2023 between suburbs, cities and ultimately within cities.
