Dubai Agreement with Joby Turns Air Taxi Hype into a Real Delivery Test

Joby Aviation, a US company building electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft,  has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to bring air-taxi service to the city, with a six-year exclusivity period once operations begin.

The plan depends on building “vertiports,” small terminals where passengers board and where aircraft can recharge.

Faster airport transfers, limited early scale

For travel, the near-term impact is about premium, time-saving trips—especially airport-to-city transfers—rather than a mass transportation system. If it works, it adds a new “fast lane” option when roads are slow, which can appeal to business travelers, premium leisure travelers, and visitors during major events. But it only becomes meaningful if it runs like real transport: predictable schedules, safe passenger processing, and smooth coordination with a busy airport environment. That is why infrastructure and day-to-day operations matter as much as the aircraft itself.

Vertiports, approvals, and the latest end-2026 signal

The commercial service is expected to launch by the end of 2026. Joby and Dubai’s RTA have also highlighted progress milestones, such as piloted test flights as part of preparations for a 2026 launch. Investors are watching this closely because Joby is still spending heavily to reach launch-ready operations, and it recently raised roughly $1.2 billion through stock and convertible notes—helpful for funding, but dilutive.

Mohan Das, CEO and Founder of NuFlights, believes airlines will begin integrating air taxis into their core offerings, positioning them as a premium service for first- and business-class passengers.

Photo by ZQ Lee on Unsplash