Regardless of what you do, a day will never have more than 24 hours. If you're strapped for time, the only way you can buy time is to cut something else, and time spent sitting in traffic is at the top of everyone's trade-in list. If you're headed for the airport in Tokyo, skip the streets and take to the air. A new luxury helicopter service is shuttling passengers between the Asaka district of Tokyo and Narita International Airport. Swap an hour and a half in a car (or worse) for 30 minutes in the sky, reclaiming precious minutes you thought were lost.

The helicopters are designed with more than function in mind. The machines are pimped out by Hermes, with calf leather seats for up to four passengers. Starting on September 16, 2009, up to 22 flights a day will be run.

So, how much is your time worth? The hour you save by flying instead of driving will set you back around $790 for a one-way trip. For people who bill $1,200 an hour or redefine economies with the swipe of a pen, it beats the other ways to make the trip.

Filed under: Asia, Japan, Airports