It sounds like something out of a science fiction film, but it happened this week, and it happened for real. On 27 April 2026, Joby Aviation completed the first-ever point-to-point electric air taxi demonstration flights in New York City’s history — taking off from John F. Kennedy International Airport and landing at Manhattan heliports in under 10 minutes.
The aircraft, a piloted electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL), flew from JFK across the city to Downtown Skyport in Lower Manhattan, as well as the West 30th Street and East 34th Street heliports in Midtown. To put that in context, a taxi from JFK to Midtown Manhattan can take anywhere between 60 and 120 minutes depending on traffic, and cost between $150 and $200. Joby’s aircraft did the same journey in under 10 minutes, silently, and with zero operating emissions.
The week-long flight campaign is part of Joby’s 2026 Electric Skies Tour, a national showcase running alongside the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations. Earlier in the year, the tour kicked off with a flight over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. New York is the next chapter.
What makes this particularly relevant for anyone following Uber is that Joby and Uber are already partners. The plan is for passengers to eventually book a Joby flight directly through the Uber app — you’d request an Uber from home, it takes you to the vertiport, you board the air taxi to the airport, and another Uber picks you up on the other side. It’s one seamless booking, ground to sky.
Joby’s chief product officer Eric Allison, speaking from the Blade Air Mobility lounge at West 30th Street, described what happened when waiting Blade helicopter passengers spotted the Joby aircraft come in to land. “They asked if they could wait and take it instead,” he said. “It just shows there’s so much excitement around this.” Joby acquired Blade’s passenger business in 2025, giving it access to Manhattan’s existing heliport network and an established customer base.
The aircraft itself is designed with four passenger seats plus a pilot, travels at up to 200mph, and is reportedly between 100 and 1,000 times quieter than a conventional helicopter. That noise advantage matters enormously in a city like New York — or indeed London, where Joby has also listed as a future target market.
FAA certification for commercial passenger operations is still being worked through, with Joby targeting the second half of 2026 for its first paying flights. Its Dubai service, in partnership with Uber, is expected to launch later this year under a separate regulatory framework.
Whether this technology lands in the UK anytime soon remains to be seen. But with the skies over New York already being used for test runs, and London named as a priority market, it’s not as far off as it might feel.
Thanks for visiting DM News! If you’ve got a question, a story tip, or anything you’d like to share, head over to DriverMatty.com — I love to hear from you. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out my other websites and social media channels.
Sources
Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City — Joby Aviation Official
Joby Completes First NYC Test Flight — Yahoo Finance
Joby Kicks Off NYC Electric Air Taxi Demos — Flying Magazine
I Watched a Joby Electric Air Taxi Take Off and Land in New York City — TechRadar
