Helicopters, seaplanes, and maybe even eVTOLs — all bookable in the Uber app by 2026. Incentive planners, meet your new favorite arrival upgrade
Forget limos, luxury sedans and motorcoaches. The next time your top performers land at JFK or touch down in Dubai, they might finish their trip in the sky — literally.
According to Reuters, Joby Aviation plans to bring Blade Air Mobility’s helicopter and seaplane services straight to the Uber app as soon as 2026, letting travelers hail a heli the same way they call a car. The announcement follows Joby’s August acquisition of Blade’s passenger business for up to $125 million, giving the company instant access to a network of routes between Manhattan, the Hamptons, and beyond.
For incentive planners who’ve spent years trying to make “airport transfer” sound exciting, this may finally be the moment you’ve been waiting for.
Arrival Goals, Elevated
Let’s be honest: no one ever bragged about a great bus ride.
Joby’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft — quieter, faster, and far more photogenic than helicopters — promise to turn a simple airport transfer into the kind of cinematic arrival that gets posted before the welcome cocktail. Until those eVTOLs are certified, Blade’s sleek fleet of helicopters and seaplanes will do the heavy lifting on routes connecting JFK, Newark, Manhattan, and the Hamptons, with European expansions already in the works.
As Reuters noted, these aircraft are designed to carry four passengers and a pilot at up to 200 mph — which means incentive winners could check in to their hotel before the bus even hits the Midtown Tunnel.
Logistics Just Got Luxe
Think of it as the Uber Black of the skies.
For planners, the Uber integration means fewer moving parts — literally. No separate vendor contracts, no private-charter guesswork. Your group’s next-level transfer lives right inside the Uber ecosystem.
Pricing will depend on the route, but early numbers (around $195 pp Manhattan–JFK) suggest it’s more attainable than a private charter and more impressive than a limo parade. And because Joby’s aircraft are electric, planners can also tick the sustainability box — a welcome narrative for corporate clients chasing both ESG points and bragging rights.
From Ground Transfer to Grand Entrance
Imagine this: your winners open the Uber app, tap “Air,” and minutes later are lifting off over city skylines, landing at a resort dock or helipad to applause and camera phones. That’s not just logistics — that’s theater.
Incentive programs have always been about moments that say you’ve arrived. The difference now is that those moments might literally begin in mid-air.
Why Planners Should Keep Their Heads in the Clouds
This partnership between Joby, Uber, and Blade isn’t just Silicon Valley showmanship. It’s a glimpse of how high-touch, on-demand air travel will soon fit neatly into the meeting and incentive mix.
For planners, it’s a new storytelling tool: the ability to transform “getting there” into part of the reward itself. Integrate it into a top-tier recognition trip, a surprise VIP transfer, or the opening act of an incentive experience that begins the second the app says Your aircraft is arriving.
Because when attendees can literally Uber their way into the sky, your welcome dinner better bring the same energy.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
Photo by Blade Air Mobility
