On-demand helicopter broker Blade is adding a S-76 card targeting the on-demand charter market between Manhattan and the Hamptons.
Blade Urban Mobility, best known for its on-demand helicopter flights and BladeOne by-the-seat private jet flights, is launching a helicopter card.
The new product specifically targets frequent flyers between Manhattan and the Hamptons. It runs from May 25 to September 4.
It uses eight-seat Sikorsky S-76 helicopters with two engines and two pilots.
The per flight price is $4,750, plus a 7.5% Federal Excise Tax.
You pay $37,500 to join and then pay-as-you-go on a per-flight basis.
Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal says he is targeting the on-demand charter market, where flights typically run $10,000-to-$12,000.
The program makes sense for anyone flying at least eight segments during the card’s validity.
Included airports and heliports are Manhattan heliports on the East and Westside, plus Wall Street. Westhampton, East Hampton, and Southampton are included.
Montauk is at a surcharge.
Members also receive a 10% discount for charter flights to other airports, and the S-76 has a range of around 250 miles.
There are no peak days, and flyers get Blade lounges.
Blade personnel onsite at all arrival and departure points in the program..
The callout is just three hours 24/7, which Wiesenthal says is possible due to Blade’s medical transport business.
Wiesenthal says the Blade card compares favorably to the card programs fractional operators offer.
“They have longer callouts, and they have to give their owners priority over card customers,” according to the CEO.
Regarding the target, Wiesenthal says, “Manhattan to the Hamptons is the sweet spot, so by focusing on this route, we can provide a high value compared to other options.”
