If you can't beat 'em, join em: After competing with Uber in January to shuttle indie film lovers, via helicopter, to the Sundance Film Festival, Blade, the similarly app-focused aviation company, is teaming with Uber to get people out of dodge—aka Boston—and over the beaches of Nantucket this Memorial Day weekend.
The service, called UBERAir Powered by BLADE, expands the young air-travel company's presence around the Northeast with the introduction of direct flights on a luxurious, nine-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan turboprop plane from Boston to the island, covering the 90-mile distance in just 40 minutes. But there are way more perks than just efficiency. Blade is also known for its stylish jetsetter-meets-James Bond style, and private lounges that double as terminals. In addition to opening a brand-new location at Nantucket airport, Blade will also allow guests departing from its lounge at Signature Aviation in Logan International Airport to arrive 15 minutes before takeoff in order to catch a flight. Eliminating the need to lug your bags through the largest airport in New England during the busiest travel time of the year is a precious godsend, especially this year—sayonara, extremely long and incredibly frustrating TSA lines!
The new flight route, announced today, adds to Blade’s existing service to Nantucket from its four Manhattan-based lounges. The flights, which will be available throughout the summer for $495 per person each way with Blade, begin this Memorial Day holiday weekend, and can be booked via the Blade app now (or, as their partner for the weekend, on the Uber app starting on Monday, at a special launch price of $300 per person each way). Once you’ve tapped your way to a weekend in the Atlantic, be sure to consult our guide to the very best on offer in Nantucket, from boutiques carrying the latest Altuzarra and Erdem designs to restaurants serving fresh lobster rolls alongside cold glasses of rosé. And remember to pack your swimsuit.
There will be two flights to Nantucket on Thursday night and two on Friday, with return trips to Boston on Sunday nights and Monday mornings.
