Archer Aviation is partnering with the airline.
An Archer Aviation aircraft (Photo: Archer)
Archer Aviation unveiled an ambitious plan to launch an electric air taxi network across New York City, aiming to revolutionize airport commutes through a partnership with United.
The California-based startup plans to operate its Midnight aircraft — a five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle — on short-haul routes connecting Manhattan with the region’s three major airports: John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty. Flights are expected to cut travel times from up to two hours by car to just 5 to 15 minutes.
Archer’s proposed network includes nine initial launch sites, or “nodes,” encompassing not only the three airports but also heliports on Manhattan’s east and west sides, the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, and regional airports in Teterboro, Westchester, and Long Island.
Although the Midnight aircraft has yet to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, Archer is actively building out its infrastructure. The company is collaborating with Atlantic Aviation, Signature, and Modern Aviation — fixed-base operators that manage New York’s heliports — to set up charging stations and passenger access points. United will support aircraft storage, maintenance, and vertiport operations.
“Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure — such as real estate development, air space management and safety and security protocols — necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers,” said Andrew Chang, head of United Airlines Ventures, in a news release.
The company said it will introduce a handful of aircraft to the New York market initially, using the early rollout as a testbed for route development and operational readiness. The company is targeting FAA Type Certification by 2026 and has already begun manufacturing the Midnight at a new facility in Georgia in partnership with investor Stellantis. The goal is to produce up to 650 units per year by 2030.
The network in New York is part of a broader vision. Archer is exploring similar service launches in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Abu Dhabi. Still, New York remains a flagship market, with Archer leadership calling the city “the number one helicopter commuting city in the world, outside of São Paulo.”
Passengers will be able to book flights as an add-on to their United itineraries.
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