“FlyBlade” or BLADE, as they’re prefer to be called (if only they could get the domain squatter on Blade.com to budge), is an on-demand app a la Uber, but for private helicopters, planes, and now sea planes.
If you haven’t taken your first flight with Blade, and just want the Flyblade referral code, use AndrewW53, and you’ll get $100 off your first ride.
Now onto the rest of the FlyBlade review..
Where Does BLADE Fly?
BLADE has been really active this 2017. They expanded service beyond New York and the Hamptons and are now flying to Miami, and select flights in LA. It’s still in the testing phases, so we’re not sure if these flights are here to stay, so here’s their bread and butter.
Name | Route | Aircraft | Flight Time | Price | Extras |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Faena Mimai One-Click Weekend | West 30th St to Miami | A-Star Helicopter to BLADEone | 3.25 hours | $2,045 | Includes free airport transfer from West 30th St plus 2 free nights at Faena Beach Hotel. |
BLADE Bounce | West 30th St to JFK | A-Star Helicopter | .08 Hours | $195 | Pricing can range from $195-$295/seat depending on time of day. Price seems to be lowest for last-minute flights. |
BLADE Los Angeles | Downtown LA, LAX, Santa Monica, Van Nuys, Palms Springs & More | A-Star Helicopter | Flex | Flex | Service is only available to press at the moment. |
BLADEone Miami | Westchester to Miami | BLADEone | 3.25 hours | $1,795 | Flights from West 30th St require $250 helicopter transfer. If you fly direct from Westchester the price is as shown. |
BLADE Hamptons | West 30th St to East Hampton | A-Star Helicopter | .72 hours | $695 | The Hamptons is normally a near 3 hour slog, with barely standing room on the LIRR. The ride starts at the lounge with rose sippy cups and the fun never stops. |
BLADE Camp | Teterboro to August State Airport | King Air 300 | .33 hours | $425 | Visit your kids at camp (runs during Summer only) via a super-convenient 20 minute flight. |
BLADE Atlantic City | East 23rd St to Atlantic City Hotel’s Helipad | A-Star Helicopter | .3 hours | $3,570 | Book a private helicopter charter with pricing starting at $3,570 |
BLADE Aqua | East Hampton, Montauk, Fire Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod | BLADE Aqua EX | .4 Hours | $795 | Book a private helicopter charter with pricing starting at $3,570 |
All pricing is based on one-way routes and may require roundtrip bookings.
BLADE Referral Code
Everyone registered for BLADE receives a shareable code that allows them to receive $100 for every friend (or soon to be friend) they refer to the service.
No, you can’t refer yourself, so if you’re the first of your friends, it’d be great if you use my code AndrewW53 to earn your $100 off. Then go ahead and invite all your friends and pretend like you discovered the BLADE coupon all on your own 🙂
Amex Platinum Offering Free BLADE Credit
The Amex Platinum card is known to surprise and delight customers by sending them periodic gifts as a thank you for being a loyal cardmember.
Last year some members received Amazon Echos, and this year they are giving away $250 in free BLADE credits. We don’t know how they are targeting the giveaway, but just be aware that having an Amex Platinum is one way to keep racking up free flights on BLADE.
Fly Out to the Hamptons with BLADE
Planning your weekend getaway to the Hamptons resort? Worried that probably half of Manhattan has exactly the same plan? BLADE offers on-demand helicopter rides that takes you straight to the Hamptons, avoiding the traffic and all the frustration that comes with it. Simply fire up the app, order your heli-ride, and head up to E. 34th St. Heliport. 35 minutes later you’ll be enjoying the beach.
BLADE Anywhere
Can’t find your favorite destination on the BLADE map? Now BLADE gets you to where you want to be with a charter flight to popular destinations in the Northeast such as Quogue, The Pines of Fire Island, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. For additional destinations, check out the BLADE Anywhere section in the app and select your origin and destination.
If you request a BLADE Anywhere Jet Charter to or from New York or Los Angeles, your flight will now include a BLADE Bounce helicopter transfer as well. This means that you can essentially land 100 feet away from your departing jet, leaving you little to no time to have to worry about anything else at no additional cost.
BLADE Bounce
The BLADE Bounce service enables travelers to charter a helicopter with a guaranteed boarding time within 20 minutes of booking. BLADE Bounce customers fly exclusively to and from Manhattan heliports and Teterboro Airport minimizing travel time from 45 to 60 minutes by car to less than 5 minutes using Bounce. BLADE Bounce will secure an entire six seat Eurocopter helicopter for an all-in price of $800.
BLADE Aqua
BLADE Aqua’s 9-passenger amphibious seaplanes provide regular and crowdsourced service to East Hampton and The Pines of Fire Island. All flights originating or landing in Manhattan depart from the private BLADE Lounge at the East 23rd street Marina.
You can also use your BLADE app to book an amphibious seaplane (BLADE Aqua) and fixed-wing aircraft (BLADE Turbo PC-12) charters between the NY area and any of their pre-existing or new destinations. Anywhere makes getting to or from Martha’s Vineyard, Fishers Island and Cape Cod as easy as 3 taps on your phone. For fixed-wing operations – utilize a BLADE Bounce helicopter flight straight from the East or West side private BLADE Lounge and land plane-side at the airport-no more doubling your travel time by driving to the airport.
BLADEone Review
BLADEone is the newest addition to the BLADE fleet, and instead of a helicopter, its a private plane.
Bombadier CR-J200 that used to seat 60 people and has been retrofitted to seat 16 people.
BLADEone is not like flying first class — It is a luxury experience in a caliber entirely of its own. From the moment you step out onto the helipad, you are treated like luxury. The BLADE lounge is full of helpful employees who all want to make your trip the best that it can possibly be. This is only heightened once you step out onto the private plane.
Executive chef Todd English creates the menu, which should tell you all you need to know about the quality of the food you are being served. Flight attendants are always with a smile and willing to help however they possibly can.
In addition to an amazing meal, every guest is offered an iPad to watch television on and a pair of noise canceling ear phones. They are also always allowed to get up and walk over to the snack area to grab themselves a complementary treat, ranging from granola bars to Pringles and more.
Food and drinks available on BLADEone:
- Mimosas
- Chapmagne
- Green juice
- Banana bread
- Chia pudding
- Organic food & drink
Private Tour: Review of BLADEone
Here’s what’s inside the BLADEone Dopp Kit
- 20% OFF Henry Bendel next purchase
- Glowing stick by MILK makeup
- Probiotic lotion
- Hydrating mist
- $250 towards their next Line purchase
- Sleeping mask
- Toothbrush with activated charcoal & toothpaste
- Charcoal papers
- Headphones to use with complementary iPad
BLADE Lounge
The BLADE experience begins in their lounge. For the most relaxing pre-flight offering in the short distance aviation industry, book travel to or from NYC and enjoy any one of their 3 Michael Beneville designed private BLADE Lounges located at the East 34th Street Heliport, West 30th Street Heliport and now at the East 23rd Street Marina. Come to chill, to chat or to simply meet friends for a quick cocktail.
BLADE Passport Review
BLADE just launched a bulk pricing plan for frequent BLADE travelers.
The two programs are XCEL and ULTRA and offer $1,050 and $2,100 in savings (respectively). With the average cost of a BLADE trip the Hamptons being $1000/roundtrip, to get your value out of these packages you’d need to take 10 trips or 20 trips per season.
Considering there’s only 12 weeks of summer in New york, I’m not sure who these packages are targeting.
If they offered a lower tier, I think they might get more casual users to jump on them.
BLADE Passport XCEL
- $10,000 in BLADE credits
- Credits may be used on all BLADE routes, aircraft types, and experiences
- Your own dedicated Passport Counselor including a private phone line and email
- Book your entire summer flight schedule, in advance, with your counselor
- Enjoy a complimentary BLADE Bounce airport transfer between Manhattan and all area airports
Price for Passport XCEL: $8,950
BLADE PASSPORT ULTRA
- $20,000 in BLADE credits
- Credits may be used on all BLADE routes, aircraft types, and experiences
- Your own dedicated Passport Counselor including a private phone line and email
- Book your entire summer flight schedule, in advance, with your counselor
- Enjoy 3 complimentary BLADE Bounce airport transfers between Manhattan and all area airports
- Be added to the invite list for the BLADE Private Screening Series, where you will enjoy advanced screenings of first-run films and final episodes of hit cable series
Price for Passport ULTRA: $17,900
Special BLADE Collaborations
BLADE launched an exclusive alliance with JetSmarter, a mobile app that seamlessly connects travelers to private jets at attractive fares, with worldwide itineraries, real-time availability and instant bookings.Through this partnership, all JetSmarter members who book a jet to or from select New York area airports, can Bounce between Manhattan and the airport at no additional cost. JetSmarter members also enjoy unlimited free empty leg flights, wholesale charter pricing and 24/7 Aviation Specialist support.
In April Magnises teamed up with Blade for an exclusive offer – a one-day getaway to East Hamptons. For only $150 roundtrip (which is a 90% discount), you were able to hop on a private BLADE helicopter and travel from NYC to East Hampton in only 40 minutes. Once there – they provided roundtrip transportation between the East Hampton Airport, town, and the beach. The take-off was at 12:30pm from the West 30th street Heliport and the return at 5:30pm. This offer really does sound awesome and we surely hope it wasn’t a one-time collaboration. Who wouldn’t want to escape the concrete jungle and trade it for sandy beaches in a matter of minutes and for only $150?
BLADE competitors
One of the biggest BLADE competitors is without a doubt Gotham Air who offers flights from manhattan to JFK, Newark Liberty and Teterboro for as little as $99. They connect you with charter flights that will get you where you need to go with unmatched speed and style any time of day or night. You can tap, type or call and your chopper charter can be ready in as little as 20 minutes. From private charters to the last minute flight arrangements, Gotham Air ensures that you have every travel need taken care of.
Beacon is another private flight service that comes from the former CEO of Surf Air. With Beacon you can experience the most refined and efficient travel experience in the Northeast for only $2k per month. Destinations include New York, Boston, The Hamptons and Nantucket. With the membership you can book four flights at a time and can fly as often as you like. Booking is simple via the Beacon app or their concierge. You’ll receive the VIP treatment and fly comfortably from private aviation terminals on Pilatus PC-12 and King Air 350i executive aircrafts.
BLADE prices
Pricing to surrounding metropolitan airports starts at $695 for an entire helicopter, and depends on origin and destination. Teterboro pricing starts at $895. There is a fee of $50 per additional passenger (except Westchester Airport).
GET $100 IN BLADE CREDIT: At Life Tailored we’re giving you a special opportunity to earn $100 towards your first flight with BLADE. Simply use the promo code “AndrewW53” and fly to your favorite destination. (and I’ll get $100 in credit, so thank you!)
Land in the Sand
If a Friday night dinner during sunset sounds good to you, it’s about to get a whole lot better.
This Friday at 5:45pm, BLADE is once again launching their popular “Land in the Sand” flight option. After departing from the BLADE Aqua Lounge on East 23rd Street, guests will be flown directly to Duryea’s Lobster Deck.
Duryea’s is one of Montauk’s hottest restaurants right now, and you’re guaranteed a prime table, a complimentary bottle of rosé, and one of the most relaxing Friday night itinerarys that one could imagine.
Prices start at $745 per seat.
The Jones Beach Concert Experience
Have you ever wished that you could arrive at a concert via private plane? Well now you can!
For the first time ever, BLADE is now flying between Manhattan and Jones Beach-and landing on premises. This means that you can enjoy all of your favorite artists without having to rush to the stadium or sit in bumper to bumper traffic for hours on end while all of the cars try to get out at the same time.
Through BLADE’s partnership with Live Nation, you can enjoy a premier evening package tht includes a round-trip BLADE flight, box seats, and exclusive access to THE ROOM presented by Cadillac, which is an on premises private lounge, before the show begins.
The private plane experience itself is only ten minutes long. You then have dinner in the lounge, enjoy the show of your choice, and you can be home before most people have even made it out of the parking lot at the end of the night.
Most packages are all inclusive for 4 people and come in at anywhere from $4,400 to $6,000 depending on the night and show you would like to attend.
Check out the schedule of shows and specific pricing here!
Fly to the Desert
For two key festival weekends, BLADE, in conjunction with the launch of BLADE L.A., is going to be offering flights between L.A. and the desert.
From Thursday, April 13th through Monday, April, 24th, BLADE’s Santa Monica and Thermal Lounges will be transformed into the Casa Dragones LA Lounge (Santa Monica) and Casa Dragones Desert Lounge (Palm Springs), where BLADE fliers can sip tequila and bask in the feeling of luxury.
Example flight:
Departs Thursday, April 13 at 6:00PM
From: Santa Monica Municipal Airport
To: Palm Springs International Airport
Arrives Thursday, April 13, 10 7:00PM
One seat on this flight is around $750 and they are sure to fill up, so make sure to book ahead of time!
The best part? If you choose BLADE as your transportation to and from the desert for this awesome weekend, the Armarium team will style your squad — no more cheap flower crowns and making the best of whatever is in your closet! Armarium is an awesome site where trendsetters can rent some of the runway’s hottest fashions, and those looks are all yours because they have teamed with BLADE to help Coachella go’ers decide on the best outfit imaginable.
All you have to do is email stylist@flyblade.com with the subject “I want to be styled” and someone will contact you ASAP.
FlyBLADE Faena Miami Beach
BLADE normally operates a Westchester to Miami flight on their BLADEone aircraft, but for a limited time they are offering a free 2-night stay at Faena Miami Beach.
The hotel itself is beautiful, and normally runs $1,000/night, so this is a great deal while it lasts.
The normal price for Blade miami is $1,795 from Westchester, but the price for Faena is just $2,095, which includes a free helicopter transfer from West 30th St.
Example flight:
Departs Friday March, 10 at 8:30AM
From: West 30th St
To: Opa Locka-Miamia
Arrives Friday March, 10 11:45AM
Return flight
Departs Sunday March 12 at 4:00PM
From:Opa Locka-Miamia
To: West 30th St
Arrives Sunday March 12 at 7:05PM
To book the flight open up the app and click reserve.
New York City to The Hamptons
It all starts in New York City — East 34th street, to be exact, in the Blade Lounge. You and your fellow passengers will begin the trip by arriving at the lounge in time to get comfortable and relax a bit. You are flying in style, after all, so it’s only right that you feel as such.
A 5:45pm flight out of NYC will arrive in East Hampton at around 6:25pm, and costs just $625 per seat. As for where in the Hamptons BLADE travels, you can take your pick from any of the following:
Southampton Heliport – Meadow Lane, Southampton, NY 11968 (West end of Meadow Lane)
East Hampton Airport – 200 Daniels Hole Road Wainscott, New York 11954
Montauk Airport – 428 East Lake Dr Montauk, NY 11954
Quogue / Weshamption Francis S. Gabreski Airport – 150 Riverhead Rd, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978
Westhampton – 308 Sheldon Ln, Westhampton Beach NY 11978
Shelter Island Seaplane Base
Example flight:
Departs Friday March 10 at 5:45PM
From: East 34th Street
To: East Hampton Airport
Arrives Friday March 10 at 6:25PM
Returns Sunday March 12 at 6:45 PM
From: East Hampton Airport
To: East 34th Street
Arrives Sunday March 12 at 7:28PM
Manhattan to East Hampton in 27 minutes
The 8-passenger Ultra I has a 4 x 4 leather seating configuration and brand new interior. With twin-engines, two pilots, full IFR weather capability, and a 600 pound luggage capacity, Ultra I is the perfect choice for fliers. Passengers can get from Manhattan to East Hampton in just 27 minutes!
Tickets start at $895.
Example Flight:
Departs Friday May 26 at 5:45PM
From: East 34th Street
To: East Hampton Airport
Arrives Friday May 26 at 6:07PM
Returns Tuesday May 30 at 8:45 AM
From: East Hampton Airport
To: East 34th Street
Arrives Tuesday May 30 at 9:07AM
Los Angeles, CA
At this time BLADE is only flying their own preferred partners and a limited number of members of the press to and from Los Angeles, but continue looking back to see if this changes any time in the near future.
Riviera Maya Experience
How would you like to privately charter to Riviera Maya and enjoy an exclusive three-night stay in a four-bedroom villa at Rosewood Mayakoba Residences, Mexico’s premier eco-luxury destination? This includes luxury accommodations to and from the airport, spa treatments, priority tee-time on the golf courses, private eco tours, four star dining, and more.
Although you must call or email BLADE directly to talk prices, I can tell you that you are almost guaranteed a deal, as the Mayakoba Residences themselves are breathtakingly beautiful.
New York to Miami
Craving a weekend getaway but don’t want to spend hours on a stuffy plane? BLADEOne might be the answer you’ve been looking for. All you have to do is arrive at either Westchester airport or Blade’s lounge on East 34th street in New York City to get started. From there, you will be taken on a private jet and spend the next 3 hours or so living the life of luxury. No screaming kids, no stuffy neighbors… Just you and your loved ones.
This one is about costly and you’ll ultimately end up spending about $2,000 per ticket, but this also includes a helicopter to take you straight to the jet.
Example flight:
Departs Friday March 10 at 8:35AM
From: East 34th Street
To: Blade Lounge, Miami
Arrives Friday March 10 at 11:45AM
Returns Sunday March 12 at 4:00PM
From: Blade Lounge, Miami
To: East 34th Street
Arrives Sunday March 12 at 6:45PM
New York to Nantucket
With this connection, passengers can easily fly anywhere between Manhattan, Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard with little to no hassle whatsoever.
Because it’s winter, flights are extremely limited. I had a hard time finding anything at all when I was navigating the website, actually, but I expect that to change in the coming weeks as winter slowly makes its transition into spring. This is something great to keep in mind for the summer months, so you and your loved ones can get a quick getaway in for the weekend without the inconvenience of taking ferry boats and the like.
HOW TO FLY ON BLADE TO NANTUCKET
Book a seat from Manhattan
Leave from NYC and enjoy a helicopter flight to an awaiting Pilatus PC-12 at Westchester airport. 90 minutes total flight time from Manhattan. Check the app for upcoming flights. The price is $650 per seat.
Book a seat from Westchester
Take a Pilatus PC-12 directly from Westchester County Airport. It’s 55 minute flight time and $575 per seat.
Crowdsource your own flight
Don’t see a flight that you want? Open the app, go to the “Nantucket/Vineyard/Cape” section, and tap “fly when you want”. Your unused seats will be offered for sale to other BLADE members.
The Jersey Shore
Just because the MTV reality show has stopped airing doesn’t mean that the Jersey Shore isn’t still a hot party spot for young adults.
Much like Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, however, the New Jersey Coast receives most of its tourist business in the late spring and summer months, which means that you’ll be hard pressed to find a BLADE flight right now anyway.
That said, it’s tough to pass up once it is beach season. The flight, which ends up being less than half an hour long, will drop you off at Monmouth Jet Center and starts at $495.
In the mood for a weekend of snow high up in the mountains? Look no further because Blade has the answer that you’ve been searching for. In just over an hour, you can get from New York City to one of New England’s most sought after ski resorts, enjoying 97 impeccably groomed trails and a private, in-residence chef service.
Although there are no commercial Blade flights currently available, you are always more than welcome to request a private one at your leisure.
Love to shop? You might as well check out the single best premium outlet mall in the entire Tri-State area. Don’t do it on your own, though. BLADE can get you to the Woodbury commons from their New York lounge location in just 15 minutes. Seriously.
This deal usually only runs on Black Friday, allowing a frugal shopper to get more than enough done with plenty of time to spare. Take a nap after Thanksgiving dinner, relax with family and friends, then hop onto the 15 minute jet ride of a lifetime to shop designers like Prada, Gucci, and more. a BLADE SUV will even pick you up and drop you off in front of the stores, so all you have to do is focus on shopping ’til you drop.
The best part? Seats are only $195 per person.
Why take a cruise ship to Florida and the Bahamas when you can take a private jet? Straight from the BLADE website, here’s what they promise their loyal customers:
Bounce, BLADE’S premiere helicopter service, makes flying commercial so much easier. There’s nothing worse than sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on a busy New York City street, hoping that you won’t miss your flight from JFK. Those days are over when you commit to taking Bounce. You can be at the airport in as little as 5 minutes, bouncing from connection to connection in no time at all and ditching all of the congestion and traffic that New York is so famous for.
Bounce flies between Manhattan and all surrounding metropolitan airports, including John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty (EWR), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Teterboro Airport (TEB), and Westchester Airport (HPN).
When flying to the airport, ground transportation awaits your arrival to take you between your helicopter and your terminal. When flying to Manhattan, an UBER Black car can optionally be awaiting your arrival in the city.
Currently, BLADE Bounce has a sale going on tot hank all of their loyal members: Flights from Manhattan to all commercial airports are as little as $195 per seat.
All you have to do is check the app for availability, as additional flights are being added daily to accommodate loyal members.
Cruise between Sag Harbor and Shelter Island this Memorial Day Weekend
Enjoy a 35 minute “Riva-style” boat cruise between Sag Harbor and Shelter Island this Memorial Day weekend. The boat ride will land you steps away from the island’s coolest restaurant, Sunset Beach. This trip, which costs $95 one way and requires round trip purchase to book, is available directly on the BLADE app, in partnership with Espirit by Shore.
This trip is not going to last, as it is only happening through the Memorial Day weekend!
Send a gratuity to your pilot directly over the BLADE app
You can now tip your pilot directly through the BLADE app! This brand new technology will unveil itself this Memorial Day weekend, and makes life so much easier.
Here’s how it works: About an hour after your flight, you will receive an email alert and a link to add an optional gratuity to the cost of your flight. Obviously, you are under no obligation to do so. BLADE has made things interesting, however, with a bit of a contest. The BLADE flier who provides the highest total in pilot gratuities in any given month will receive an additional $500 in future BLADE credits.
How does the Fly BLADE Referral Code Program Work?
Having flown on BLADE already, I can’t wait for you to take your first flight, and to help grease the wheels, BLADE offers $100 off your first flight when you use my promo code AndrewW53.
When you book your first flight using my promo code not only do you get $100 off, but I get $50 in credit for referring you. The referrals are capped at 50 per user, so if you have a ton of friends, start inviting them as well.