Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying News

Archer Bringing Electric Air Taxis to Los Angeles by 2026

The manufacturer also has plans to fly in New York, Chicago, and the San Francisco Bay Area in partnership with United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Thursday, August 08, 2024 at 04:11 PM ET

Verified

Archer Aviation’s flagship Midnight air taxi could hit the skies over Los Angeles as soon as 2026. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation is expanding its eVTOL air taxi network to Los Angeles by 2026, making it the third major U.S. city after New York City and Chicago, in partnership with United Airlines.
The service aims to offer a faster, cost-competitive alternative to ground transportation for city-to-airport routes using Archer's Midnight air taxi.
Archer targets FAA type certification by 2025 for initial commercial rollout, with plans to establish vertiports and charging infrastructure through partnerships, aiming to showcase the technology by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The company enjoys strong relationships with the FAA and support from California state officials as it competes with other eVTOL developers in the region.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation is adding a third major U.S. city to its planned air taxi network in partnership with United Airlines.

The company on Thursday announced it intends to launch a city center-to-airport network in Los Angeles by 2026, building on its plans to fly in New York City and Chicago. The service is meant to replace one-to-two-hour drives by car with more direct aerial routes while remaining cost competitive with ground-based rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.