Joby Aviation has completed new demonstration flights of its electric air taxi in New York City, showing future air travel that will change transportation between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The company tested its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, also known as an eVTOL, on real routes across New York. The aircraft flew from JFK Airport to Manhattan heliports, including locations in Lower Manhattan and Midtown. These flights were part of a public demonstration and were not commercial passenger services. This means people cannot book the flights yet.
Joby Aviation says the goal of these demonstration flights is to test how its electric air taxi performs in real-world conditions. The company wants to demonstrate that its aircraft can safely operate in busy city airspace and connect airports to urban areas more quickly and cleanly.
The electric air taxi can carry five people, including one pilot and four passengers. It takes off vertically like a helicopter, but after takeoff, its propellers tilt forward so it can fly more like a plane. This design allows the aircraft to use less energy during forward flight while still landing and taking off from small spaces like heliports.
According to Joby Aviation, the aircraft produces zero operating emissions because it is fully electric. The company also says the aircraft is much quieter than a helicopter. This is an important point for New York City, where helicopter noise has often been a concern for residents.
The flights showed Joby’s electric air taxi could reduce travel time between Manhattan and JFK Airport. A normal car journey between Manhattan and JFK can take around one to two hours, depending on traffic. Joby says its aircraft can complete the same trip in under 10 minutes. During the demonstration, one flight from JFK to a Manhattan heliport reportedly took around seven minutes.
Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said, “New York has always been a city that defines the future by demanding better.” He added, “We first flew here in 2023, and now we’re showing what the next chapter looks like: a quiet, zero operating emissions air taxi service designed to better serve New Yorkers.”
The demonstration flights were conducted under the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. This program is designed to help test and prepare electric air taxis for future commercial service in the United States. Joby Aviation is currently working toward final FAA certification before it can carry paying passengers.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also worked with Joby to make the flights possible. Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole shared his thoughts. He said, “This cutting-edge aircraft is exactly the kind of innovation we have a responsibility to test, understand, and help shape. We must do this for the good of the region and the public.”
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia also spoke about the flights. She said these flights are part of a larger effort. That effort aims to study the future of aviation. She added, “These demonstration flights are one data point in a larger body of work. We’re building that work around next-generation electric aviation.”
New York City officials also see this technology as part of a greener transportation future. Jeanny Pak is the NYCEDC Interim President and CEO. She said, “These historic Joby flights link our city-owned heliport to our airports. They prove that the future of advanced air mobility is no longer a Jetsons-esque fantasy. It’s already here.”
Joby Aviation is also working with major partners, including Delta Air Lines and Uber. The company wants to create a simple travel experience. Passengers may one day book a ground ride and an air taxi trip together. This could make airport transfers faster for travelers in large cities.
However, the service is not ready for public use yet. Joby still needs final certification and official approval before launching commercial passenger flights. The company previously aimed for an earlier launch, but the timeline has now moved forward. Joby is now expected to begin passenger operations in places like New York, Texas, and Florida in the second half of 2026.
It is not yet clear how much each flight will cost, how many people will use the service, and how well the system will work on a large scale. Some reports suggest early air taxi rides could be expensive, especially compared to normal ride-share services.
