Archer Aviation and United Airlines Unveil NYC Air Taxi Route Network for Future eVTOL Operations

Archer Aviation and United Airlines have revealed a detailed air taxi route network for the New York City metropolitan area, offering travelers a faster and more sustainable alternative to navigating congested airport commutes. The new routes, designed around Archer’s all-electric Midnight aircraft, aim to connect Manhattan to JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports in under 15 minutes.

Santa Clara-based Archer Aviation is among the frontrunners in developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility. Its flagship model, the Midnight, is engineered to transport four passengers and a pilot over short distances with minimal noise and zero tailpipe emissions. The aircraft is slated to begin production in early 2025 at a new facility in Covington, Georgia, developed in partnership with Stellantis, which also serves as Archer’s exclusive manufacturing partner.

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“New York could be one of the first markets for air taxis in the United States,” said Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “With its existing helicopter infrastructure, regulatory support and strong demand, we want to give residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes.” Goldstein pointed to the region’s heavy airport traffic—serving around 150 million passengers annually—and the lengthy ground travel times to support the case for air taxi adoption.

Under the announced plans, Archer will initially operate from six key vertiport locations in the city and nearby airports. These include JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports, three Manhattan heliports—East 34th Street, West 30th Street, and Downtown Skyport—and regional hubs like Westchester County, Teterboro, and Republic airports.

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The NYC network is part of Archer’s broader strategy to roll out eVTOL services in high-density cities across the United States. Los Angeles and San Francisco are also listed as priority markets. The company is in the final stages of obtaining FAA type certification for its Midnight aircraft and plans a phased launch of commercial operations under a “crawl, walk, run” approach.

United Airlines, a key investor and long-term partner of Archer, plans to integrate the eVTOL service into its booking system as an “add-on” option, allowing passengers to schedule air taxi transfers between Manhattan and airports as part of their itinerary. “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers,” said Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures.

Archer’s expanding list of partners also includes Boeing, ARK Invest, and Japanese mobility firms such as Soracle, which are working to launch similar services in Tokyo and other global hubs.