Angelenos looking to bypass traffic and arrive in style at the Coachella or Stagecoach music festivals in Indio next month can arrange for helicopter service via Uber, the ridesharing company announced today.
Reservations opened at noon via the Uber app for the “UberCHOPPER” service to be operated out of Van Nuys Airport, but it doesn’t come cheap.
Fly with five friends for $4,170 per trip, or $695 per person. Those who opt for one-way rather than round-trip service will have the option to take an Uber SUV back to Los Angeles for $399 total.
The rides will be available for all three festival weekends: April 15-17 and April 22-24 for the Coachella Music Festival and April 29-May 1 for the Stagecoach Festival.
On the day of the nearly one-hour flight, an Uber SUV “will pick up you and your five friends. Your driver will take you to the Blade Lounge at the Van Nuy Airport, where you will enjoy a Casamigos Tequila open bar before boarding the Airbus EC-130 helicopter,” according to the Uber announcement.
Passengers will touch down in under an hour just outside the festival grounds and be offered cocktails before an Uber SUV whisks them the rest of the way, according to Uber.
Uber spokesman Michael Amodeo said the exact number of available flights has not been set, but “we anticipate hundreds of people will use the service.”
Uber is working with Fly Blade Inc. to coordinate the flights with various FAA/DOT licensed operators.
