New York City, a place where a slice of pizza at 2 am or a quick McDonald’s delivery is easily accessible, remains notorious for its painfully congested trips to the airport. Archer Aviation aims to significantly ease this notorious burden by deploying electric air taxis, promising to whisk passengers from Manhattan to the city’s major airports within just five to 15 minutes.
Announcing its plans in partnership with United Airlines, Archer Aviation has detailed a proposal to establish an extensive air taxi network connecting downtown Manhattan with key transportation hubs. Adam Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of Archer, recently explained the vision, highlighting nine initial locations vital to the new network. The plan includes New York City’s three major airports—JFK, La Guardia, and Newark—alongside popular heliports such as the Downtown Skyport and East and West Side heliports, plus regional airports including Teterboro, Westchester, and Long Island Republic.
This New York initiative closely follows Archer’s earlier announcements about a similar air mobility network planned for Los Angeles, timed ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, before these ambitious plans can become reality, Archer still awaits Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) named “Midnight.” Presently, testing has only been conducted autonomously without pilots onboard, placing Archer slightly behind its competitors, Joby Aviation and Beta Technologies, both of which have advanced their prototypes with piloted flights.
Goldstein remains optimistic about achieving the necessary certifications by 2026 and hinted at forthcoming news regarding piloted flights in Archer’s next earnings update. After going public in 2021 through a special purpose acquisition company merger, Archer Aviation has since raised $3.36 billion from various public and private funding rounds, providing essential backing for its ambitious plans.
Recognizing that infrastructure and logistics play a pivotal role in successfully launching air mobility services, Archer has formed strategic partnerships. United Airlines will assist Archer with critical logistical needs, including maintenance, aircraft storage, charging solutions, and the creation of dedicated “vertiports” at airports. In addition, Archer has secured cooperation with fixed-base operators Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation, and Modern Aviation, providing essential facilities and services at Manhattan heliports.
Nikhil Goel, Archer’s chief commercial officer, underscored New York City’s strategic importance as a potential hub for urban air mobility. Drawing parallels between current helicopter transit networks and the proposed eVTOL operations, Goel emphasized that fewer regulatory adjustments may be required, as flight routes and landing infrastructure are already firmly established and active.
Initially, Archer plans to test its operation in New York with a modest fleet of up to five eVTOL aircraft. Over the coming decade or two, the goal is to scale this operation significantly, with hundreds of electric aircraft operating in multiple cities. Production of the Midnight aircraft recently began at Archer’s Georgia facility, constructed in partnership with automotive giant Stellantis, and aims to reach an annual output of around 650 units by 2030.
While Archer has mapped out similar plans for San Francisco and Miami, timelines hinge deeply on FAA certification progress, and no definitive choice has been made regarding the service’s initial launch city within the United States. Internationally, Archer expects to debut its air taxi service later this year in Abu Dhabi, where local regulations offer a more immediate opportunity for commercial deployment.
According to Goldstein, showcasing operational success in Abu Dhabi will not only validate Archer’s concept but also instill confidence in urban air mobility among residents of metropolises like New York.
