NBC Is Paying For Matt Lauer's Helicopter Rides To Work From The Hamptons

According to PageSix, that includes flying him to and from the Hamptons during the week.

"NBC News chiefs want to do everything to keep Matt happy. They believe 'Today' has turned a corner and he is the key to its continuing success," a source told the Post. "They agreed to pay for his helicopter flights to the Hamptons and back, so he can spend more time with his family."

Lauer owns a 40-acre horse farm in Water Mill and a nearby $15 million mansion, in which he lives year-round with his wife, Annette Roque, and their children.

The "Today" anchor previously told co-anchor Hoda Kotb that his life in the Hamptons is more normal than it sounds:

"I think the image that people have is that it's all polo fields and cocktail parties. And the fact of the matter - my experience and Annette's experience .?.?. is about parent-teacher conferences and Little League and music lessons." He continued, "We have a painfully normal existence .?.?. We go to the local drugstore, and we walk the dog on the beach .?.?. and take pony-riding lessons .?.?. very much small-town America - it just happens to have a reputation and a name like the Hamptons."

While NBC sources told The Post that chopper rides have been up to three times a week, an NBC rep insists: "On rare occasions, Matt will fly home, but most of the time you'll find him stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway with everyone else."

In June, Lauer extended his $20 million-a-year contract with NBC News to remain a "Today" co-host through 2016, following rumors that he would leave the show after how he was portrayed in the media following Ann Curry's 2012 departure.