Flyblade, Inc. (“BLADE”), the fast growing, digitally-powered aviation company, announced today the launch of BLADEone, a weekly, by-the-seat jet service between Manhattan, Miami, and Palm Beach.

The launch of BLADEone marks a natural evolution for the company’s high touchpoint and successful short distance aviation platform for consumers. It is BLADE’s first expansion into jet aviation as well as its first route outside of the northeast corridor.

BLADEone’s inaugural flight will depart from BLADE’s Manhattan flagship lounge on Thursday, December 3rd in time for Art Basel. Scheduled flights between Manhattan and Miami (and Palm Beach) will operate through spring 2016. All BLADEone flights are operated by JFI Jets.

“By starting the BLADE experience in a helicopter, BLADEone enables travelers to avoid traffic to airports by landing straight at the steps of an awaiting Gulfstream IV,” says BLADE CEO Rob Wiesenthal, “Bundle that with thoughtfully designed and professionally staffed BLADE lounges in New York and Miami’s Opa Locka Executive Airport, as well as a top-notch in-flight experience, and you have a product that frequent travelers have been desiring for quite some time.” Each one-way ticket is approximately $2,200 and includes the helicopter connection to or from Manhattan.

BLADE has continued its alliance with Tamara Mellon, who, together with BLADE, designed a fresh interpretation of flight attendant uniforms for the BLADEone Customer Experience (“C/X”) cabin attendants. Passengers will dine on cuisine created by noted chef and restaurateur Todd English either on board or prior to departures from BLADE’s private Miami lounge.

On the inaugural flights, passengers will be treated to Jack Spade amenity kits for men and women, containing custom suede slippers by Del Toro, electric toothbrushes by innovative dental start-up Quip, products by all-natural oral care line Hello, EOS lip balms, and Shades Club sunglasses.

Additionally, in-flight entertainment includes personal iPad Pros pre-loaded with a selection of curated films specifically chosen for BLADE by the Tribeca Film Institute. Master & Dynamic headphones will complete the experience.

Commensurate with the launch of BLADEone the company will be opening the first ever private lounge at Miami’s Opa-Locka airport. The BLADE Miami lounge is the largest yet in the BLADE network, where travelers will enjoy ample space for work, relaxation or dining ahead of any departing flight. In addition to a full bar, the BLADE C/X team will be serving specially crafted Casa Dragones Tequila cocktails and BLADE’s signature rose. For passengers in need of hydration after a weekend in the sun, BLADE’s Penta water is also available.

Upon arrival at the Opa-Locka BLADE Lounge, passengers can immediately continue on to Palm Beach via helicopter. The Opa-Locka lounge will also be the departure point for crowdsourced and charter flights within Florida, Bahamas and any Caribbean destination.

ABOUT BLADE

BLADE is the leading mobile application for aviation, enabling consumers to easily create flights or book seats for crowdsourced helicopter, seaplane and jet travel between the New York area and popular regional destinations. Co-founded in 2014 by former Sony executive Rob Wiesenthal and tech entrepreneur and Microsoft executive Steve Martocci, the company also launched BLADE Bounce, an on-demand helicopter transfer charter service to all New York area airports with guaranteed departures in as little as 20 minutes.

BLADE started in 2014 and offered only helicopter and seaplane to northeast summer destinations such as the Hamptons and Nantucket for its 50,000 users until now. Crucial to its success was an unparalleled pre-flight customer experience, the ability to book on a per seat or crowdsource basis as well as a highly visible and effective brand proposition that had never been achieved before in short-distance aviation.

BLADE is not a direct air carrier. BLADE acts as an indirect air carrier for public charter flights from New York to Miami, with charter flights operated by JFI Jets or other qualified airlines. Please refer to the operator-participant agreement at www.flyblade.com for details. For other flights, BLADE acts as the agent of the airline, with helicopter flights arranged by BLADE being operated by various operators including Liberty Helicopter, Zip Aviation, and other FAA/DOT licensed operators and fixed-wing flights operated by Lima NY Corp and Altius Aviation LLC or other FAA/DOT licensed operators. In addition, for flights to any destinations that are charters of the entire aircraft capacity, BLADE acts as the agent of the customer.