Helicopter company Blade offers $95-a-ride to NYC for commuters from Long Island, NJ

Here’s one way for suburban commuters to avoid the hated $9 congestion toll.Helicopter company Blade is launching a commuter service for deep-pocketed clients on Long Island and New Jersey that will fly them to its West Side hub.While it will help cut through the gridlock, it will cost $95 per flight.The air transport company, known for its helicopter services to New York’s major airports, rolled out the service Friday, offering a commuter pass for $195 per year.The annual fee grants access to $95-per-flight helicopter rides to and from the heliport at 30th Street and 12th Avenue in the Hudson Yards.The service, which runs Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.

to 8 p.m., will allow commuters to park at John F.Kennedy International Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport, and take a five-minute flight to West Side.The move is part of Blade’s broader strategy to provide an efficient, high-end commuting option for professionals in affluent areas who would otherwise spend over an hour driving into the city or relying on public transit.While the $95 daily fee sounds high, it is nearly comparable to the price suburban commuters pay when you factor in the combination of tolls, congestion pricing, daily garage costs and city parking taxes, the company said.The short flight times also have the added benefit of reducing the grueling commutes.A standard Long Island Rail Road ride from Lynbrook to Manhattan takes about 35 minutes, while an unlimited monthly pass costs $253.The Main and Bergen County lines charge monthly pass prices ranging from $77 for Secaucus to $304 for Port Jervis.

For bus commuters, the cost of a monthly pass also depends on the number of zones traveled, with prices starting around $100 for a one-zone pass.“As ground traffic grows, and the transition to quiet, emission-free aircraft helicopters begins, we need to introduce Park & Fly options for commuters so they can start to experience the benefits of urban air mobility today,” a...