I flew on Blade's $2,750-per-seat jet from New York to Miami to see how the other half escape the winter blues — here's what it was like

I flew on Blade's $2,750-per-seat jet from New York to Miami to see how the other half escape the winter blues — here's what it was like
  • I flew from New York to Miami on Blade's semi-private jet service, called BLADEone.

  • Tickets range between $1,675 to $3,450 a seat, plus $595 for a helicopter transfer to the airport.

  • From caviar to cashmere blankets, I got a taste of how the wealthy travel.

My morning started at the private Blade Lounge by the Westchester County Airport. Passengers were advised to arrive 30 minutes before take-off.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

For an extra $595, passengers could take a 15-minute helicopter transfer from Manhattan to the lounge. I opted for the train.

Blade helicopter
A Blade Bell 407 helicopter.Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

With no security lines or baggage checks, I had time to enjoy a complimentary coffee and relax at the bar — a far cry from the anxiety-inducing hustle of a regular airport.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

One passenger told me she has terrible travel anxiety, making the pre-flight convenience the main reason she prefers by-the-seat jet charters over commercial airlines.

Blade lounge
Hannah Towey/Insider

Soon, I boarded the plane — a Bombardier Challenger 850 — along with 11 other passengers and 3 flight attendants.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

BLADEone offers flights to Miami and Palm Beach between November and April. One frequent flyer from Manhattan said she uses Blade frequently to travel to and from her winter rental home.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

The commercial-sized jet typically fits 50 seats, but the BLADEone was renovated for only 16 passengers.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

Blade's flight attendants, or "SKYfx cabin attendants," sat on a couch to my right during takeoff and landing. For the rest of the flight, it was open for passengers to socialize.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

A couple and a family with two young children sat in the slightly less expensive "Club Seats," which start at $1,675 per person.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

10 additional seats were spaciously laid out in the front-half of the plane.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

Two passengers brought their dogs onboard. When one relieved himself in the lounge, a staff member even cleaned it up (despite the owner's polite protest).

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

My assigned seat was the "Captain's Chair" toward the rear of the plane, the more expensive of the two classes.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

The plush leather seat could recline and swivel. As someone who is constantly cold on flights, the cashmere blanket had to be one of my favorite perks.

BladeOne
Hannah Towey/Insider

There was more legroom than I could've possibly needed.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

Tulips, a goodie bag with toiletries, and a breakfast menu of fresh juices and pastries were placed next to every seat. I ordered a yummy "wellness" drink with ginger, lemon, and cayenne pepper.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

A flight attendant then folded out a table from the side of the aircraft and gave me an iPad, Bluetooth headphones, and a portable charger.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

The iPad had 12 movies pre-downloaded, as well as a few apps for major newspapers.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

The highlight of the flight was definitely the food. We started off strong with my first-ever caviar.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

Next up was chia pudding with fresh fruit, which was delicious.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

For the main course, we were given the choice of a bagel or croissant with cream cheese and lox. Everything was chilled and tasted super fresh.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

The flight was free of any turbulence — I almost forgot I was on a plane at all. The WiFi kicked in at around the one-hour mark, so I was able to answer a few texts and emails.

BladeONE jet
Hannah Towey/Insider

2.5 hours and a nap later, we landed at Opa Locka Executive Airport in Miami, a little over a 30-minute drive from South Beach.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

Blade's Miami lounge was even nicer — and more spacious — than the Westchester location.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

Staff quickly brought passengers their luggage, who were out the door within 15 minutes of landing.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

I had the lounge to myself as I drank another coffee and waited for my Uber.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

Beyond the amenities, what really made the flight a luxurious experience was the level of attention from Blade employees — from the flight attendants and pilots to the lounge bartenders.

BladeONE
Hannah Towey/Insider

The stress-free experience was incomparable to commercial flying, even in first-class. It was clear why wealthy travelers have been more willing to splurge on private aviation services — especially following this year's airline chaos.

BladeONE
The BLADEone jet flying over Miami.Hannah Towey/Insider

Source: Insider

Insider paid a media rate of $250 for this flight. The full ticket price was $2,750. 

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