Fly from Teterboro or Westchester, or lift off from a Manhattan heliport, and land in East Hampton, Westhampton Beach or Montauk about 40 minutes later. Not four hours on the Expressway.
On a summer Friday, the drive to East Hampton swings from under three hours to five, depending on the hour you set off. The flight barely changes.
| Leave Midtown | Drive, est. | Jet via Teterboro | Helicopter, Manhattan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 p.m. | 3h–3h 45m | 1h 30m–2h 10m | 1h 10m–1h 50m |
| 1:00 p.m. | 3h 15m–4h | 1h 35m–2h 20m | 1h 10m–1h 50m |
| 2:00 p.m. | 3h 30m–4h 30m | 1h 35m–2h 20m | 1h 10m–1h 50m |
| 3:00 p.m. | 3h 45m–5h | 1h 45m–2h 40m | 1h 15m–1h 55m |
| 4:00 p.m. | 4h–5h | 1h 45m–2h 40m | 1h 15m–1h 55m |
| 5:00 p.m. | 3h 45m–4h 45m | 1h 45m–2h 40m | 1h 15m–1h 55m |
| 6:00 p.m. | 3h 15m–4h 15m | 1h 45m–2h 40m | 1h 15m–1h 55m |
| 8:00 p.m. | 2h 30m–3h | 1h 30m–2h 10m | 1h 10m–1h 50m |
Pick your departure time and destination to see the drive against the flight from each departure point.
Open the Friday plannerChoose by where your Friday ends. All three put you on the East End in under an hour of flying.
About 12 miles from Midtown in New Jersey, with no airline flights and the region's deepest pool of private aircraft.
Westchester County Airport in White Plains: easy from the northern suburbs, Fairfield County and the Upper East Side.
East 34th Street, West 30th Street and Downtown: in the air within minutes of most Manhattan addresses, with no airport drive.
Closest to East Hampton, Sag Harbor and Amagansett. The curfew and noise rules here are voluntary for now; we check the latest for your date.
Francis S. Gabreski Airport, whose long runway suits larger jets. Close to Westhampton, Quogue and Southampton.
A short runway at the tip of the South Fork, best for turboprops and smaller aircraft.
Flight times are approximate. Choose one and the request opens with both airports filled in.
35–45 minThe Friday classic: about 40 minutes across Long Island to the South Fork.
35–45 minFor Westchester and Connecticut weekends, with no city traffic to cross first.
35–45 minThe long runway that suits larger jets, close to Quogue and Southampton.
35–45 minStraight to the end of the island in a turboprop or small jet.
35–45 minA quick hop from the northern suburbs to the western Hamptons.
35–45 minThe Sunday evening return. Book it early; everyone wants the same hour.
For a 40-minute flight, size is about people and bags, not speed. These are the options we quote most often for the East End.
Lifts off from a Manhattan heliport and lands on the East End. Best for small groups travelling light.
The value pick for a 40-minute hop, and at home on Montauk's short runway.
The Friday favourite for four to six with weekend bags.
Stand-up cabin for families and groups of up to eight.
More room for a bigger party; usually lands at Westhampton Beach.
For a full house of guests, flying into Westhampton Beach's long runway.
Hourly figures are estimated US market ranges before tax and fees. One-way figures are estimates built on roughly an hour billed in each direction, covering the empty trip back, with the 7.5% federal excise tax added. Helicopter operators price per trip. Aircraft guide.
Departure point, East End airport, dates and headcount. Add bags, a dog or a preference for helicopter or jet.
Aircraft from certificated operators, each with the operator named, the flight time and an all-in price.
Choose one, sign the charter agreement with the carrier's details and pay as it sets out.
Arrive at the terminal or heliport at the time we confirm, board, and land about 40 minutes later.
Jet, turboprop or helicopter, each flight we arrange is run by a direct air carrier under FAA Part 135, holding operational control of the aircraft and crew.
The certificate behind on-demand charter, airplanes and helicopters alike: maintenance, training, crew duty and rest.
A specialist auditor's rating of an operator's safety history and practices: Gold, Gold+ or Platinum.
The Wingman standard, earned through an on-site look at safety management, maintenance and pilot records.
The global business aviation code; operators register at stages 1 to 3 as their safety system matures.
Between 35 and 45 minutes from Teterboro or Westchester to East Hampton, Westhampton Beach or Montauk. A helicopter from Manhattan takes a similar time in the air, without the drive to an airport.
East Hampton for East Hampton, Sag Harbor and Amagansett; Westhampton Beach for Quogue, Westhampton and larger jets; Montauk for the far end of the South Fork in a turboprop or small aircraft.
A helicopter saves the trip to New Jersey or White Plains and suits two or three people with soft bags. A plane carries more people and luggage and copes with more weather; helicopters are more sensitive to low cloud and fog, so keep a backup in mind on grey days.
As a planning estimate, a one-way light jet from Teterboro runs about $7,500 to $11,800 including the federal excise tax, assuming the aircraft flies back empty; a turboprop roughly $3,900 to $6,900. The quote then adds segment and airport fees.
Yes, but so does everyone else. Sunday evening is the most requested slot of the weekend, so ask for it when you book the Friday flight, and consider Monday morning if your week allows.
Jets and turboprops take normal weekend luggage, within limits the operator sets by weight. Helicopters are tighter: soft bags, and nothing bulky. List bags, bikes or surfboards in your request so we match the aircraft.
Usually. Most operators accept a dog in the cabin once they've approved it, and a well-behaved one barely notices a 40-minute flight. Tell us size and breed in advance.
We don't. A quote is free and carries no commitment, and payment only follows once you've picked an aircraft and signed the charter agreement.
Why the hour you leave matters more than the aircraft you fly, and how to plan around it.
Three ways out of New York to the Hamptons, and which one suits your address and your bags.
How to secure the flight home on the busiest evening of a Hamptons weekend.
Tell us where you're leaving from, when, and how many are coming. We'll reply with aircraft and all-in prices for the flight out and back.