Future Transport
Air Taxis: When Can You Ride an eVTOL in the U.S.?
Quick answer
You cannot yet buy a ticket on an eVTOL air taxi in the U.S., and neither Joby nor Archer has announced an FAA type certificate. Both are flying test routes under the FAA's eVTOL pilot program. Joby targets its first passengers in 2026, starting with non-paying riders, and Archer plans U.S. operations later this year. Paid service depends on certification, which neither has dated.
On this page
- What is an eVTOL air taxi?
- Can you ride an eVTOL air taxi in the U.S. today?
- What does the FAA still have to approve?
- What is the FAA's eVTOL pilot program?
- What have Joby and Archer flown so far?
- Where could the first U.S. rides happen?
- How much will an air taxi ride cost?
- Will the first passengers fly in the U.S. or abroad?
- How can you tell real progress from hype?
- FAQ
- Sources
For years, electric air taxis were always "a couple of years away." In 2026 two U.S. companies, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, are flying test routes with the FAA's backing, and both say passengers are close. So when can you actually ride one? This guide separates what is flying today from what still needs the FAA's approval.
Every fact below comes from the FAA's own pages or from the companies' own releases and shareholder letters, read on October 23, 2026. Each source is listed with its date at the end.
What is an eVTOL air taxi?
eVTOL stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing. These aircraft lift off like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, using electric motors. The FAA calls the category "powered lift" and said in October 2024 that it is the first completely new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.
Two designs lead in the U.S. Joby's aircraft has six tilting propellers and is designed for up to four passengers, with a top speed of up to 200 mph and a range of up to 100 miles, according to Joby. Archer's Midnight carries four passengers plus a pilot, flies up to 150 mph and has a range of up to 100 miles, says Archer, though it is built for back-to-back trips of around 20 miles with about 10 minutes of charging in between. Both fly with a pilot on board.
Can you ride an eVTOL air taxi in the U.S. today?
No. Neither company sells tickets on its electric air taxi. What flies today are demonstration and test flights, flown by company pilots. Joby described its Texas campaign as piloted flights that "lay the groundwork for future commercial operations."
The nearest thing you can book is a helicopter. Joby owns Blade, a passenger service that sells helicopter seats, and Joby said in August that the number of seats Blade sold in the second quarter rose more than 50% from a year earlier. Uber and Joby have said they plan to bring Blade's helicopter service to the Uber app in 2026.
What does the FAA still have to approve?
To carry passengers on a regular basis, an aircraft needs the FAA's approval of its design, called a type certificate. Both companies say they are in the last steps, but they count them differently.
Joby counts five stages and says it is in the fifth and final one. There, testing of FAA-conforming aircraft runs under a Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). In its August 5 shareholder letter Joby reported five aircraft flying, including its first FAA-conforming one, and 12 more in production. Joby said in November 2025 that "the data collected during these TIA tests will be used by the FAA to make its final determination."
Archer counts four phases. It says it closed Phase 3 in April, the first eVTOL company to do so, and is now working on Phase 4, where Midnight's compliance with FAA airworthiness requirements is shown "through formal testing and analysis."
That status comes from the companies' own reports, and neither one gives a date for the certificate. Dates have moved before: Archer's December 2022 announcement said it was working to certify Midnight in late 2024 and launch its network in 2025.
| Joby | Archer (Midnight) | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | Pilot plus up to 4 passengers | Pilot plus 4 passengers |
| Top speed | Up to 200 mph | Up to 150 mph |
| Range | Up to 100 miles | Up to 100 miles, built for 20-mile hops |
| FAA certification | "Fifth and final stage," TIA testing | Phase 4 of 4, testing and analysis |
| U.S. flights so far | Dallas-Fort Worth campaign, Sept. 10-14, 2026 | Salinas-Monterey round trip, July 2026 |
| First passengers | Targets 2026 | U.S. operations "later this year" |
| Fare published | No | No |
Joby and Archer as described by the companies, read on Oct. 23, 2026. Aircraft figures are the companies' own.
What is the FAA's eVTOL pilot program?
On March 9, 2026, the Department of Transportation and the FAA announced eight selected projects for the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), chosen from more than 30 proposals. The projects span 26 states. The FAA said data from them will be used to develop new regulations that safely enable these aircraft at scale, and that the public would start to see operations by summer 2026.
Joby and Archer are partners in several projects. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey project includes eVTOL passenger operations at the Manhattan heliport. The Texas project covers regional flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and eventually Houston. Florida's is a statewide effort, and Joby also appears in Utah and North Carolina. Archer says it is in three winning applications covering eight states, and Joby says its projects cover 11.
It is a test program, not airline service. Joby describes a staged path in which flights progress "from those with only a pilot on board, to those carrying non-paying passengers, and eventually paying passengers," with extensive FAA oversight.
What have Joby and Archer flown so far?
Joby's first eIPP flights ran from September 10 to 14 around Dallas-Fort Worth under the Texas Department of Transportation's Project Nexus. They included a kickoff at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, flights into DFW Airport's controlled airspace, a round trip over Arlington and a route to Toyota's North American headquarters in Plano. In Joby's release, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford is quoted saying the agency is "leveraging data from test flights in Texas and across the country."
Archer completed a piloted round trip between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport in July. Each leg took about nine minutes, compared with more than 35 minutes by car, and Archer says the flight was coordinated closely with the FAA. Archer also took over Hawthorne Airport near Los Angeles, which it expects to anchor its planned LA operations.
Where could the first U.S. rides happen?
The likeliest places are the states in the pilot program. Joby says it is preparing early operations in Florida, New York and Texas, and it plans air taxi hubs there and in California with Atoms, a company that builds transportation infrastructure. Archer points to Florida, Texas and New York, plus Los Angeles, where it is the official air taxi provider of the LA28 Olympic Games.
The pages we read name no passenger schedule, route list or booking date.
How much will an air taxi ride cost?
Neither company has published a fare. In February, Uber and Joby showed how booking would work in Dubai: you enter a destination in the Uber app, and one tap books every leg, including the Uber Black car at each end. The announcement gave no price. Treat any dollar figure you see online as an estimate.
Will the first passengers fly in the U.S. or abroad?
Joby named Dubai for its first passengers, saying in February it expects to carry them there later this year. In its August letter it said the second of four vertiports being built by partners in Dubai was nearly complete. For the U.S., the Joby and Uber release says the FAA requires extensive testing and certification before commercial operations can begin.
How can you tell real progress from hype?
Four signs matter more than a good-looking video:
- An FAA type certificate. It is the milestone both companies are working toward.
- Passengers aboard. First non-paying riders, then paying ones, as Joby describes.
- A fare and a booking page. Neither exists yet for either company.
- A named route and date. Airports or vertiports, not "coming soon."
Clips of flying cars that never mention a certification step deserve the checks in our guide to spotting a fake gadget video. And if you want to leave the ground this year, the one option on our list that you can book is the jet suit, which flies on a tether for a few minutes from £799.
Frequently asked questions
When will air taxis be available in the U.S.?
No date is published. Joby targets carrying its first passengers in 2026, and Archer says U.S. operations will begin later this year under the FAA's pilot program. Regular paid service depends on FAA type certification, which neither company has announced.
Do Joby and Archer have FAA certification?
Not yet, based on their own reports. Joby says it is in the fifth and final stage, and Archer says it is in Phase 4 of 4. Neither gives a date for the type certificate.
Can I book an eVTOL air taxi ride now?
No. Neither company sells tickets on its electric air taxi. Joby's Blade service sells helicopter seats, but those are helicopters, not eVTOLs.
How much will an air taxi ride cost?
No fare has been published by Joby or Archer in the releases we read. Uber and Joby showed how booking would work in Dubai in February 2026, without giving a price.
How fast and how far can these aircraft fly?
Joby says up to 200 mph and up to 100 miles. Archer says up to 150 mph and up to 100 miles, and designed Midnight for back-to-back trips of around 20 miles. These are company figures.
What is the eIPP?
The eVTOL Integration Pilot Program is an FAA and Department of Transportation program announced on March 9, 2026. Eight projects across 26 states are testing air taxis and other new aircraft so the FAA can gather data for future rules.
Sources
- FAA: Transportation Secretary Duffy and FAA unveil eight selections for the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (Mar. 9, 2026)
- FAA: With new rule, FAA is ready for air travel of the future (Oct. 22, 2024)
- Joby Aviation: Q2 2026 shareholder letter (Aug. 5, 2026)
- Joby Aviation: Joby launches eIPP flights in Texas (Sept. 10, 2026)
- Uber and Joby: Get ready for takeoff with Uber and Joby (Feb. 25, 2026)
- Joby Aviation: Joby begins power-on testing of first FAA-conforming aircraft (Nov. 6, 2025)
- Archer Aviation: Second quarter 2026 results (Aug. 10, 2026)
- Archer Aviation: First quarter 2026 results, SEC filing (May 11, 2026)
- Archer Aviation: Airworthiness criteria for Midnight published in the Federal Register (Dec. 20, 2022)
Founder and editor, Novaverum
I write Novaverum to separate the technology you can really buy from the demos, concepts and viral fakes, starting from what the companies, regulators and engineers publish. Every article lists its sources at the end.
