Blade partners with Uber for Coachella festival helicopter charter service

Blade the New York-based private helicopter service has partnered with transport app company Uber to provide charter flights to the Coachella music festival in California. The flight, which can be purchased through either provider and will cost $4,170 for a charter that can sit up to six people at $695 each.

The partnership will extend the current offering from Uber in the private helicopter space as it already operates in the charter sector for film festivals including Cannes and Sundance. It has also provided transport for Coachella for the previous two years, but this is the first time it has partnered with Blade, known as the “Uber of helicopters”.

Blade currently offers a service from major New York airports and to holiday spots like Martha’s Vineyard and The Hamptons. Charter helicopters will depart from Van Nuys Airport, with a pick up from an Uber SUV to Indio, California to attend the festival. Uber will also offer an SUV back to LA for $399 for those who reserve a chopper.

Blade was founded by former Sony/ATV and Warner Music Group executive Rob Wiesenthal. The Coachella service marks Blade’s first move into the west coast.

Coachella’s headliners this year are Guns N’ Roses, LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris. The AEG-owned starts on 15 April.