LeBron James uses Fanatics-branded helicopter for daily commute between New York and Philadelphia

LeBron James has been traveling daily by helicopter from his New York City residence to the Philadelphia 76ers' headquarters. Flight-tracking records show that since early October the aircraft, identified as the LeBron James Express (call sign N6FN), has completed 18 trips between Northeast Philadelphia Airport and the Manhattan West 30th Street Heliport, along with additional shorter flights to nearby airports.

The helicopter bears branding for Fanatics, the sports-and-e-commerce company that sponsors James. A source familiar with the arrangement told Front Office Sports that the use of Fanatics' corporate aviation is included in the sponsorship deal, adding, "> It’s a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes and we appreciate their partnership as LeBron splits his time between New York and Philadelphia."

Because Michael Rubin, Fanatics founder, sold his stake in the 76ers' ownership group in 2022 and James signed his Fanatics sponsorship in 2024, the benefit is not considered a salary-cap circumvention but rather a perk linked to the sponsorship.

The aircraft is a Leonardo AW139, a medium-sized twin-engine helicopter capable of carrying up to 15 passengers and flying up to 659 miles on a full tank of Jet A-1 fuel. A Pratt & Whitney representative confirmed the fuel type and noted current prices of about $10.45 per gallon at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

Environmental data from the Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France indicates that the AW139 ranks poorly among civil helicopters for carbon emissions per passenger capacity, due to its high power output and relatively small cabin.