What ZIP AVIATION does

ZIP AVIATION is a privately held Part 135 helicopter operator headquartered at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in New York City, providing shared and private aerial sightseeing tours, on-demand charter flights, airport transfers, and aerial photography services across the Northeast United States. The company serves two principal customer segments: leisure tourists (domestic and international visitors seeking unique NYC experiences, with multi-language narration in nine languages) and business travelers and VIPs requiring fast airport transfers to JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Teterboro or point-to-point charters to destinations including the Hamptons, Atlantic City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. It also operates as the exclusive helicopter provider for the PGA Championship, a role it has held since 2016.

The operational fleet comprises three aircraft types: the Sikorsky S-76C++ medium helicopter (up to 8 passengers, 155-knot cruise, 360nm range), Bell 407/Bell 407GX single-engine helicopters (6 passengers, branded "Bumblebee"), and Bell 206L4 LongRanger aircraft (6 passengers, Rolls-Royce turbine). All aircraft feature noise-canceling headsets and leather seating. Underlying technology is conventional aviation: advanced avionics, real-time weather and air traffic monitoring, and the FareHarbor booking platform embedded in the company website. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Operations are run from four locations: Downtown Manhattan Heliport (Pier 6), West 30th Street Heliport, East 34th Street Heliport, and Essex County Airport in Fairfield, New Jersey.

The business model is per-transaction unit pricing across five revenue streams: shared tours ($259-$389 per seat), private tours ($1,554-$2,334 per aircraft), airport transfers ($1,250 one-way), Hamptons and long-distance charters ($3,350-$5,000 one-way), and aerial photography sessions ($2,950), supplemented by a $40 per-person heliport facility fee. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via online and phone booking (866-ZIP-OVER), complemented by tour operator and hotel concierge referrals and a flagship 2026 partnership with Blade Air Mobility that positions Blade as lead marketing and sales channel for championship golf season. ZIP Aviation was founded by Itai Shoshani, who serves as both CEO and Chief Pilot, and the company is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

ZIP AVIATION

Legal name

Zip Aviation

Website

https://zipaviation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZIP AVIATION is a privately held NYC helicopter operator providing shared sightseeing tours, private charters, airport transfers, and aerial photography from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to leisure tourists, VIP executives, and PGA Championship event clients across the Northeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Charter Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Scenic & Sightseeing Helicopter Tours (THABAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB), Helicopter Airport Transfers & Ground-Connection Shuttles (TLAFACAE), Helicopter Resort & Remote Destination Transfers (TLAFACAF)

Keywords

• Helicopter tours
• Private charters
• Airport transfers
• Aerial sightseeing
• Charter services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. NYC Helicopter Tours: Shared and private helicopter sightseeing tours departing from Manhattan and New Jersey. Pricing varies by route duration and departure location. Generates per-ticket revenue with minimum passenger requirements.
2. Private Charter Services: Full aircraft charters to destinations including Hamptons, Atlantic City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC. Charged per flight based on distance. Private charter operates 24/7.
3. Airport Transfers: Helicopter transport to/from JFK, Newark, LaGuardia, Teterboro, and other regional airports. Flat rate pricing plus fees. 15-minute flight times to NYC-area airports.
4. Aerial Photography/Cinematography: Professional photo flight sessions with custom routes for photographers, filmmakers, and surveyors. Premium pricing for specialized services including sunrise/sunset flights and extended durations.
5. Heliport Facility Fees: Passenger and landing fees charged to cover Downtown Manhattan Heliport operational expenses. $40 per person heliport fee for tours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ZIP AVIATION operates helicopter tour and private charter services primarily out of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, offering sightseeing tours of New York City and New Jersey, private charters to destinations such as the Hamptons, and airport transfers using Sikorsky and Bell helicopters.

Product overview

ZIP AVIATION operates a portfolio of helicopter services centered on New York City tourism and transportation. The core offering consists of shared helicopter tours departing from Manhattan and New Jersey, ranging from 12-minute Liberty Harbor flights ($259) to 30-minute Grand Island tours ($389). Private helicopter tours for exclusive groups are available at premium pricing ($1,554-$2,334). Charter services include airport transfers to JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia ($1,250), as well as leisure routes to the Hamptons ($3,350-$5,000). Aerial photography sessions are offered for $2,950. The fleet includes Sikorsky S-76C++ (medium category, 8 passengers), Bell 407/Bell 407GX (6 passengers), and Bell 206L4 LongRanger (6 passengers). Bookings are processed through FareHarbor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NYC Helicopter Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-minute-or-less airport transfers to JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Blade Air MobilityflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2026Expanded partnership for 2026 Championship Golf Season. Blade leads marketing, sales, and customer-facing flight operations while Zip Aviation manages end-to-end flight logistics and venue landing zones. Partnership reflects growing demand for luxury transportation to major sporting events in destinations like the Hamptons. Zip Aviation has served as exclusive helicopter operator for the PGA Championship since 2016.
• Bell Helicopter / TextroncoreTechnology or IntegrationBell Helicopter provides aircraft (Bell 429, Bell 407 models) for PGA Championship flight programs. Bell coordinates with ZIP AVIATION as their longtime customer for NYC operations. Bell serves as Official Helicopter Provider for 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.
• PGA of AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive helicopter operator for PGA Championship since 2016. Provides charter services directly to and from championship venues including Baltusrol Golf Club and Bethpage Black. Partnership includes exclusive landing rights on club property and Champions Club hospitality ticket packages with corporate hospitality venues.
• ForbesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured coverage of innovative helicopter transportation solution for 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, highlighting partnership between Bell, PGA, and ZIP AVIATION.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline booking platform embedded in ZIP AVIATION website for tour reservations and charter bookings. Provides calendar-based availability, promotional codes, and seamless booking experience for customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blade Air Mobility: Urban air mobility company operating scheduled and on-demand helicopter and seaplane flights across NYC and other Northeast cities. Directly comparable as both a competitor and ZIP Aviation's primary distribution partner, sharing the same NYC helicopter tour/charter customer base.
• Liberty Helicopter Tours: Long-standing NYC helicopter sightseeing operator departing from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, offering shared tours of Manhattan landmarks. Directly competes with ZIP's core sightseeing product for the same tourist customer base at the same heliport.
• FlyNYON: NYC-based helicopter tour operator offering doors-off experiences and sightseeing flights. Competes with ZIP in the leisure and experiential tourism segment, targeting similar NYC tourist and special-occasion customer profiles.
• Wings Air Helicopters: Northeast helicopter charter and tour operator serving NYC, Hamptons, and Cape Cod routes. Direct overlap with ZIP's charter destinations and customer segments in leisure and corporate travel.
• HeliFlite: New Jersey-based private helicopter charter operator serving the NYC metro area with Northeast corridor routes. Directly comparable to ZIP's private charter and airport transfer services for executive and VIP customers.
• New York Helicopter: Manhattan-based helicopter tour and charter operator offering sightseeing and private flights from NYC heliports. Directly competes with ZIP for the same NYC tourist and charter demand.
• BLADE Urban Air Mobility: Brand-name NYC urban air mobility platform combining scheduled commuter routes, on-demand charters, and tour products. Effectively the most significant overlap with ZIP's product mix and customer base in NYC helicopter services.

Regional players

• Sundance Helicopters: Largest helicopter tour operator in the western US (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon). Comparable business model — sightseeing tours plus charter — but operates in a different geography and does not directly compete with ZIP in NYC.
• Helitrans: Northeast helicopter charter operator providing executive and VIP transport services. Comparable charter business model to ZIP but primarily serves Connecticut, Westchester, and lower New England rather than competing head-to-head in Manhattan.

Others

• Bell Helicopter (Textron): Major helicopter OEM and longtime ZIP Aviation partner, supplying Bell 407 and Bell 429 aircraft. Adjacent rather than competitive, but deeply relevant as the fleet supplier and Official Helicopter Provider for the PGA Championship program ZIP operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zipaviation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/zipaviation
• Facebookfacebook.com/zipaviationtours
• Instagraminstagram.com/zipaviation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zip-aviation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZIP AVIATION