Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
This Uber Helicopter Will Take You To Malibu To Drink Wine And Pet Zebras
For only $1,500, this adventure can be yours. (Photo by Makushin Alexey via Shutterstock)
Uber is really pushing it with this 'on demand' schtick. They recently started delivering lunch in Santa Monica, and now they've got a helicopter. You can call a helicopter. Now to be fair, the helicopter will not show up at your house and drop a rope ladder down to you. With the UberCHOPPER promotion, an UberBLACK car will take you to the helicopter. You also can't just go anywhere you want. You will be taken on a "scenic 45-minute tour of the L.A. cityscape and coastline" on the way to Malibu Wines, a release says.
Once there, you will be fed wine and cheese, taken on a safari tour and—this is clearly the most important part—get to pet "safari animals." The safari's website indicates these animals might include zebra, a camel, yaks, water buffalo, alpaca and llama.
When your day is done, you will be returned to your original destination via car.
UberCHOPPER will be running on Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. To embark, you have to select the "CHOPPER" option. This will cost you $1,500 and you can bring up to three people and split the fare evenly—perfect for the modern-day, affluent throuple in need of a romantic getaway!
Uber did a similar promotion in New York, offering passengers a helicopter ride to the Hamptons for $3,000. They also offered a chopper ride to Coachella for the same amount. Uber does not officially own the helicopters, nor are they currently getting into the air service industry themselves. The choppers come from Orbic Air, an L.A. helicopter charter and tour company.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
