Memorial Day weekend starts the mass millionaire migration to the beach.
But with tens of thousands of wealthy vacationers flocking to their shingled mansions along the Atlantic Coast, getting there has become a traffic nightmare.
A raft of car services, ferries, shuttles and choppers offer low-hassle rides to the Hamptons and other coastal beaches. But which offers the best value? And perhaps more important to wealthy beachgoers, which saves the most time?
To find out, CNBC held a "race to the Hamptons," pitting a Blade helicopter against an Uber XL. Each traveler left from Wall Street's Pier 6 heliport, and finished the roughly 100-mile trip at the Southampton helipad.
Traveling by chopper took just 40 minutes, making it an hour and 40 minutes faster. But it cost a relative fortune: $600 per person for a one-way trip. The Uber XL cost around $600, or $100 a head when split six ways.
So while the helicopter buys you time, it'll cost you an hourly rate of about $300. If that extra hour of beach time is worth it, go for the chopper. For the rest of us, the trip will be more affordable — but also a lot longer.