Air taxis may become the quickest way to the airport
Joby Aviation
Don’t want to sit in traffic and make small talk with your rideshare driver? Is the thought of sitting on a train with your luggage giving you anxiety? The future of transportation to the airport could be air taxis.
Known as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, these 100% electric vehicles look like drones but take off and land like helicopters. The Department of Transportation approved eight pilot programs across 26 states in March. Typically, eVTOL taxis carry up to four people plus a pilot (some are autonomous). Joby Aviation flew demonstration flights between Manhattan and JFK Airport in April and aims to get travelers to the airport in 10 minutes instead of an hour-plus by car.
When? In the US, air taxis could be a reality as soon as this year in some locations, while Los Angeles is on track to have an air taxi program in time for the 2028 Olympics. Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told Reuters last week that the agency wants to get the air taxi industry off the ground (so to speak) as quickly as possible. Air taxis are already operating in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China.
How much? Price estimates compare the initial cost of a trip to that of an Uber Black ride (as much as $150 for that ride to JFK). However, the trip could be as little as $25 if the business scales by 2030.
