A new company, Hoper, is revolutionizing travel in Greece by offering scheduled helicopter flights to 11 destinations. This drastically cuts travel time compared to traditional ferries, which can take up to six hours. With Hoper, visitors can fly from Athens, Mykonos and Santorini to other islands like Antiparos, Spetses and Tinos in under 45 minutes. One-way fares start at $195 and go up to about $380 depending on the location.
Hoper CEO Demitris Memos said in a recent press release that with their service, “we turn hours into minutes and travelers earn up to a full day of vacation.” Ferry services in Greece often make stops at multiple islands, adding to travel time. Charter helicopter flights are also available for the same routes. Helicopter companies are increasingly offering flights for those willing to pay a premium to save time.
In New York City, six of Marriott’s most luxurious hotels are offering free helicopter airport transfers to their top-paying guests. The flights are operated by Blade, a private helicopter service company launched in 2014. Blade competes with Uber’s helicopter services and new players like Archer and Volocopter, reflecting a growing industry betting on air taxis becoming more mainstream. However, local communities sometimes have concerns about noise from helicopter flights leading to discussions around regulations in some areas.
