Korean Air is the latest airline to jump on the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi bandwagon.
California-based eVTOL developer Archer Aviation on Monday announced that the South Korean flag carrier plans to purchase up to 100 Midnight air taxis. Under an exclusive partnership, Korean Air will work with Archer to establish the foundation for Midnight operations “across multiple applications and use cases, starting with government applications,” according to a news release.
Archer’s agreements with other customers have valued Midnight at about $5 million. In 2024, for example, Soracle—a joint venture between Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corp.—secured the rights to order up to 100 aircraft worth about $500 million. Korean Air could be looking at a similar investment.
“By combining Archer’s industry-leading eVTOL technology with Korean Air’s five decades of aerospace MRO and manufacturing expertise and strong commitment to innovation, we aim to lay the foundation for the next generation of air mobility in the Republic of Korea,” said Jin Kyu Lim, senior vice president and head of Korean Air’s aerospace division, said in a statement.
Midnight is a fully electric model designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on 10-20-minute, 20 to 50 sm trips in urban areas—a niche dominated by helicopters. However, eVTOL developers believe air taxis can offer an upgrade. Their combination of fixed wings with VTOL capability makes them agile without sacrificing efficiency in cruise flight. With electric propulsion, their operation is expected to be far quieter.
Archer Goes Global
Archer has big plans for Midnight in the U.S.
United Airlines, one of its largest investors, plans to purchase up to 200 air taxis in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion, including options. Already, it has placed a deposit for half of them. Archer will operate the aircraft under its Archer Air subsidiary and has shared potential routes in Chicago and New York City.
Another U.S. operator, Future Flight Global, plans to buy as many as 116 air taxis for up to $580 million. And LA28—the committee organizing the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles—has picked Archer as the event’s official air taxi provider. Under that partnership, Midnight could ferry spectators and athletes between Olympic venues.
The company is also working with Southwest Airlines, which has not announced a planned order but is exploring a potential network linking its California hubs. Archer’s U.S. operations will be supported by vertiports and charging stations at FBO terminals, including those owned by Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation.
However, Midnight will carry its first passengers outside the U.S.
Archer in February announced the “Launch Edition” program, which will rely on early adopters to shape its commercialization strategy in other markets. So far, three Launch Edition customers have signed on—the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA), Ethiopia’s Ethiopian Airlines, and Indonesia’s PT IKN. But the aim is for “dozens” of early adopter markets.
Each Launch Edition partner will operate an initial fleet of Midnight air taxis and collaborate with Archer on tasks such as pilot training and flight operations. The company has already delivered an aircraft to the UAE and begun flight testing in desert heat. However, Bloomberg on Monday reported that Midnight is not expected to achieve UAE certification this year. That means initial passenger operations may need to wait until 2026.
Once Launch Edition operations are running smoothly, Archer will look to introduce Midnight in the U.S. and Japan, where the air taxi was on display at the World Expo in Osaka earlier this year. Add Korea to that list. In addition to Korean Air, KakaoMobility plans to purchase and operate up to 50 Midnight aircraft worth about $250 million.
Global Competition
As Archer sets its eyes on global expansion, its competitors are doing the same.
The company’s closest rival is Joby Aviation, which is developing a similar four-passenger eVTOL model. Like Archer, Joby has laid down roots in the Middle East with partners such as Saudi Arabia’s Mukamalah Aviation. Both have ambitions to fly in the Emirati cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with Joby claiming (and Archer disputing) exclusive rights to operate in the latter.
The companies’ overlap extends to East Asia. In fact, Joby’s S4 was the first eVTOL to fly in Korea’s K-UAM Grand Challenge—a 2024 showcase of new aviation technologies. Its partnerships with Korean wireless carrier SK Telecom and Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) are some of its longest, dating back to 2022. Japanese automaker Toyota is also an investor and S4 manufacturing partner.
The biggest remaining hurdle for Archer and Joby will be aircraft certification. Both have begun piloted flight testing but have conducted little or no type inspection authorization (TIA) testing with the FAA.
On Archer’s most recent earnings call, founder and CEO Adam Goldstein predicted Midnight will undergo TIA tests later this year. However, unlike Joby, it has yet to achieve a crewed transition from hover to forward flight—the capability that sets eVTOL aircraft apart from helicopters.
Once certification is secured, though, clear skies may lie ahead. In June, the FAA and aviation regulators in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. formed an agreement under which they will seek to harmonize their eVTOL regulations. The idea is that if the five nations share standards, one regulator’s certification could be swiftly validated by the others.
Though South Korea is not part of the arrangement, the partners are leaving the door open for other regulators to participate.
