ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

NY woman heading to airport chooses helicopter over Uber to beat traffic and paid only $30 more

The traveller took to X to share the screenshots of the apps showing the price difference.
UPDATED NOV 9, 2024
Representational image of a woman looking at NY Statue of Liberty | (Cover image source: Getty Images | yoglimogli)
Representational image of a woman looking at NY Statue of Liberty | (Cover image source: Getty Images | yoglimogli)

A woman who took a helicopter to dodge the New York City traffic is now viral on social media. Khushi Suri, an employee at Kleiner Perkins, flew to her destination by paying just $30 over a regular Uber cab bill. She paid the extra $30 for a 5-minute Blade helicopter ride that cut her travel time and saved her the hour-long drive. Sharing her experience on X, Suri shocked millions of people who came across her post.

Representative Image | Unsplash | Photo by Isaac Benhesed
Representative Image of a red helicopter | (Image source: Unsplash | Photo by Isaac Benhesed)

Suri was traveling from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. To evaluate all her options, she looked through Uber for the traditional route and the Blade Helicopter app for a quicker means of travel. However, when she came across the surprisingly low price difference, her choice was clear. She decided to share her experience with the world. She shared a screenshot of the Uber app and the Blade Helicopter app comparing the two.



 

Her photos showed that while an Uber ride would cost her $131.99 for a travel time of about an hour, the Blade helicopter ride was just $165 for just a 5-minute flight.   

''60 min Uber or 5 min helicopter ride - literally a $30 difference,'' she wrote in the caption of the post. Based in New York City, the company mainly uses helicopters for passenger routes and provides helicopter ride services between Manhattan and JFK Airport.

The post went viral amassing over 4.3 million views. Suri said that she had been getting dozens of DMs asking her about the ride. She added that she had messaged Blade founder Rob Wiesenthal on Instagram around five years ago and has been a fan. 

Several users shared their own experience in the thread of Suri's post. “did this a few years ago, amazing and so fast,” wrote one user, @venturetwins.



 

Suri also shared some pictures of her trip showcasing the scenic beauty of New York City and the “vibes” of the flight.



 

Soon New Yorkers will be able to fly on electric air taxis to beat the traffic. Last year, Mayor Eric Adams showed off two huge drone-like helicopters ready to ferry passengers around the city.  



 

Currently, infrastructure to make air taxis a reality is being laid out by two companies, Joby Aviation, a maker and developer of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and Helo Holdings. Working together, the two companies are set to install the first air taxi charger in the greater New York City region at Helo Holdings’ heliport which can be reached in just a two-minute flight from Manhattan.

This will be the operational base for Joby’s electric air taxis that will fly across the NYC region, as per an Avionics International report.

However, carbon emissions remain a big concern when it comes to flying.

This article originally appeared 4 months ago.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
There was a lot of anxiety in the air at one point, but things worked out.
4 hours ago
The host of the show expected a fantastic voice but was left utterly disappointed.
8 hours ago
Viewers argued that the game show was turning into a teenage "K-Pop community." 
9 hours ago
The entrepreneur impressed the sharks with her immaculate pitch and outstanding numbers.
1 day ago
Fans were frustrated at the hopeless results in consecutive episodes of the show.
1 day ago
Greiner's hate for bugs and the numbers of The Bug Bite Thing compelled her to make an offer.
1 day ago
Some fans were not too let down as the player didn't figure out the puzzle anyway.
1 day ago
Corey Harrison was scared to death of how his father would react if he found out what went down.
1 day ago
Fans were not happy with the result as there had not been a Bonus Round winner in ages.
2 days ago
Contestants' reactions are often charming for viewers who are already impressed by their performance.
2 days ago
The guest was emotional as he spoke about his grandparents, who owned the items before him.
2 days ago
Groans of disappointment echoed throughout the studio as the game came to its end.
2 days ago
The guest high hopes of earning a five-figure sum but his lack of proof cost him dearly.
3 days ago
The cleaners must have had the best time after this entrepreneur left the stage.
3 days ago
The shark did his best not to shed a few tears as he shared a beautiful moment with his wife and kid.
3 days ago
The host started pointing fingers at the astrophysicist and promised retribution when the time came.
4 days ago
Harrison wasn't too impressed with the piece of rusted metal right from the start.
4 days ago
The embarrassing and chaotic part of the episode was not aired in the final cut.
4 days ago
The guest was quick to give a valuation once it was confirmed that they work.
4 days ago
The woman got a lot of support from fans, and something unexpected happened.
4 days ago