Joby Aviation Demonstrates Electric Air Taxi Service in New York City

On April 27 2026 Joby Aviation began a demonstration of its all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft between JFK and three Manhattan heliports—Downtown Skyport, West 30th Street, and East 34th Street. The N545JX seats four passengers plus a pilot, flies in under ten minutes, and is part of the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

In March 2024 the U.S. Department of Transportation selected eight eIPP projects, including New York, to test electric air-mobility. The 2024 rulemaking introduced a five-stage FAA certification for eVTOL aircraft, and Joby’s campaign supplies data for those standards.

CNN

Port Authority’s Kevin O’Toole and Kathryn Garcia said the flights advance work to serve New York and New Jersey and explore aviation. Joby founder-CEO JoeBen Bevirt said the demonstration shows New York defines the future, while NYCEDC CEO Jeanny Pak said the flights prove air mobility is no longer a fantasy.

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

The eVTOL seats four passengers plus a pilot, emits zero emissions, and is “100 times quieter than a traditional helicopter,” while another source says it is “quieter than helicopters.” Flight time is seven minutes, though reports say “under ten minutes.” Projected fares are $150-$200 per trip.

CNN

Sources vary on noise reduction (100 times quieter vs. “quieter”) and flight time (seven minutes vs. “under ten minutes”). Capacity is reported as four passengers plus pilot or five seats. No safety or community impact studies have been released.

ABC7 New York

An eVTOL service could cut the 60-120-minute JFK-Manhattan commute to under ten minutes, eliminate emissions and lower noise. Partnerships with Uber, Delta and the Port Authority aim to integrate air and ground travel, reshaping urban mobility.

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

Joby is in the final stage of FAA certification, with approval expected within a year. The company plans to launch service in New York “sometime within the next year,” then expand routes and add charging infrastructure at city-owned heliports.

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

• “These flights advance our work to determine how next-generation aviation technology can serve the people of New York and New Jersey.” — Kevin O’Toole, Chairman, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

• “We operate some of the busiest airports in the world, and with that comes a responsibility to think seriously about what aviation looks like in the decades ahead for our passengers, for our communities, and for the environment.” — Kathryn Garcia, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

• “New York has always been a city that defines the future by demanding better.” — JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO, Joby Aviation

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign

• “These historic Joby flights, linking our city-owned heliport to our airports, is proof that the future of advanced air mobility is no longer a Jetsons-esque fantasy – it’s already here.” — Jeanny Pak, Interim President & CEO, NYCEDC

Joby Brings Electric Air Taxis to New York City in Week-Long Flight Campaign