phillyvoice
July 28, 2026 If LeBron James plans to live in New York while playing for the Sixers, getting to and from Philly by helicopter would likely cost him a hefty chunk of the veteran's minimum contract he just signed.
Over the past few days, NBA insiders Brian Windhorst and Shams Charania have speculated that James, 41, will live outside the area while playing for the Sixers.
Both mentioned the possibility that James could rely on a helicopter to get between cities.
According to Forbes, James has an estimated net worth of about $1.4 billion, including $581.3 million in earnings from NBA contracts.
He signed a two-year, $8 million deal that includes a base salary of about $3.9 million for the first year of his contract.
The second year is a player option, meaning James can decide to either return to Philly and earn the rest of the contract or opt out to become a free agent again.
Wings Air Helicopters, a New York-based charter service that operates throughout much of the Northeast, provides regular flights between New York City and Philly.
Private charters between the two cities are no bargain for the average person, especially if the cost is not split.
"A typical flight starts at $6,000 one way for up to five to six passengers," Wings Air General Manager Anna Macsai said.
"Roundtrip flights are approximately double the one-way flight cost." The NBA regular season has 41 home games for each team, plus somewhere between 20-30 home practices.
The Sixers had 26 home practices last season.
If James were to live full-time in New York and commute to Philly by helicopter for every home game and practice, he would need round-trip charter service 67 times without factoring in the NBA playoffs.
Going with Wing Air's round-trip quote of $12,000, the cost for James would be $804,000 in flights over the course of the regular season.
That's about one-fifth of James' salary for the upcoming season.
"The flight typically takes 40-50 minutes," Macsai said.
"Weather can sometimes cause delays or cancellations if conditions are below safe minimums.
We recommend booking at least 24-48 hours in advance, although same-day charters are often possible." The cost of a private helicopter charter includes a mix of fuel, labor, maintenance, insurance and landing fees.
Macsai said Wing Air's prices are "on par" with other operators in the region, although operating costs can vary based on location and overhead expenses.
"All of these continue rising year after year and impact charter pricing," Macsai said.
There are also tax-related costs that would come with traveling between a New York residence and Philly employer.
Some New Yorkers have gotten so sick of helicopter noise that there's a growing "stop the chop" movement to ban them for nonessential uses.
James is certainly wealthy enough to buy his own helicopter.
Macsai said common choppers can range from about $600,000 for a Robinson R44 to $2 million or more for an Airbus H125.
If James bought a helicopter and opted to hire his own pilot independently, that could impact the overall cost.
It also might require more of James' involvement and attention.
"I cannot speak to current independent commercial helicopter pilot rates, as this does not apply to us," Macsai said.
"We are a commercial operation where pilots are full-time employees and are paid an annual salary.
Typically, if someone buys a helicopter, the owner looks to have it managed by a commercial operation that can keep up with the maintenance and insurance requirements." James could easily make practical arrangements to have a New York residence, where his off-court business pursuits would give him access to a bigger market, and a place to stay in and around Philly to limit his reliance on helicopter travel.
If James does live outside the Philly area, he wouldn't be the first Sixers player to do so.
JJ Redick, who coached James on the Los Angeles Lakers last year, lived with his family in Brooklyn while playing for the Sixers.
He would drive to down to the team's Camden practice facility and for games in South Philly.
Redick had played for the Los Angeles Clippers before signing with the Sixers.
I got used to it in L.A.
The traffic in L.A was pretty bad, Redick told Sports Illustrated at the time.
My first year in L.A., to and from games and to and from practices could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or so.
James could take a similar view that a longer commute by helicopter or otherwise is worth the cost and other personal tradeoffs compared to living locally in the Philly area for one to two years.
James is not expected to have an introductory news conference as a member of the Sixers, which means questions like where he's going to live may go unanswered for a while.
His first official appearance with the organization won't be until the team's media day in late September.