Will Helicopter Taxis Take Off in Colorado?  

CO – How humans get around has evolved significantly over the last century. From a country that once used horse-and-buggies as the primary mode of transportation to people now having the option to charter private planes, drive an electric vehicle, or even hop onto a stray scooter sitting on the sidewalk and go – getting to places quickly is easier now than ever before. 

Modern transportation has also brought forth the idea of ride-sharing. While taxis were once the only choice, newer companies like Uber and Lyft have allowed people to book a driver easily and quickly with the press of a button. These ride-share services safely transport passengers from Point A to Point B, enabling the user and driver to rate each other based on the experience. 

In 2019, Uber elevated their ride-sharing services even higher when the company announced they would now offer helicopters as a type of transportation on the public platform. Unfortunately, Uber Copter is only available in New York City, with flights to and from John F. Kennedy Airport. 

Charter a Private Plane Courtesy of This Colorado-Based Company following in Uber’s footsteps, another company called Blade Helicopter started offering on-demand heli-transportation for users in participating cities. Blade is currently available in New York City, the Hamptons, and Nantucket, as well as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Aspen, and the Jersey coast. 

Although Aspen is the only Colorado city on the list right now offering this type of air taxi service, that could change in years to come. For example, could you imagine being able to avoid I-25 traffic during rush hour to get to DIA (Denver International Airport)? Another company, Joby Aviation, is working on its own airborne-based commercial transit service. 

Prices vary depending on who the helicopter flight is booked through. However, in all cases, the transit time is incredibly faster than when traveling by car. As a result, using helicopters for urban air transportation may soon become an increasingly popular option. As innovative businesses begin to make this idea easier and more accessible in more cities across the country, this mode of transportation will likely take off in many more places. The idea seems futuristic but look how far we’ve already come.