Continental Airlines US Helicopter Promotion

Continental Airlines is offering travelers to Newark’s Liberty International Airport a sweet deal on transportation in to the city. The airline has partnered with U.S. Helicopter to offer flights between the airport and Manhattan for $45 each way. That’s not much more than a cab would cost you. However, the press release makes the statement “The discounted fare is available for a limited time to economy-class customers traveling on select fares to or from Liberty,” so not everyone is eligible.

Are you a high roller? Continental is offering first-class and full-fare economy ticket passengers (that would be most of you business travelers out there) FREE service to the city via U.S. Helicopter.

This deal is good for tickets purchased after September 1 for travel through October 31, 2008. If you’ve already bought your ticket, you can add the service at the promotional rate. You will still be required to pay the “passenger facility charges” of up to $18 per segment, “September 11 security fee” of up to $5 each way or “Federal excise tax” of $3.50 per segment. So really you’re getting a ticket for about $71.50. Doesn’t seem like such a good deal when you add in all of the taxes and fees, but it’s still better than the normal price which is somewhere around the $100 range. I guess if you were planning on a helicopter tour around the city this might do the trick.

You can book it at continental.com or by calling (800) 523-FARE.

U.S. Helicopter flights operate hourly, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. departing from Terminal C at Liberty International, near gate 71. You’ll be dropped off (or picked up) at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport near Wall Street or the East 34th Street Heliport in Midtown Manhattan with an eight minute-travel time.