The Future of Air Travel: Uber and Joby Launch Helicopter Services

Users of the Uber app near New York City or Southern Europe are expected to enjoy an innovative travel option starting in 2026: helicopters. Joby Aviation, a startup in the electric air taxi field, announced on Wednesday that Blade Air Mobility's helicopters will be available for booking through the Uber app starting "next year." Although Joby did not specify exactly where Blade's helicopters would initially be available, the company confirmed to TechCrunch that they would appear on "the most popular routes" such as flights to and from airports.

Uber's Expansion into Air Transportation Services

Blade's Services: Blade Air Mobility provides air transportation services for passengers and vital "last-mile" cargo, primarily relying on helicopters and amphibious aircraft. Its popular routes include flights between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy or Newark airports in New York, as well as flights between Nice and Monaco in Europe. In 2024, Blade transported over 50,000 passengers across a network of 12 major urban terminals in key urban air mobility markets. Source, Source, Source.

Joby's Acquisition: This announcement comes just one month after Joby acquired Blade's passenger business for up to $125 million. (Blade Medical, which assists in transporting live organs, remained a separate company).

Joby's Future Ambitions for Air Taxis

Joby's Plans: Both Uber and Joby consider this step a prelude to launching air taxis from Joby within their transportation services network. However, this remains a future goal. Joby plans to launch its first commercial service in 2026 in Dubai, with a rollout expected in other markets, including the United States, thereafter.

History of Partnerships and Joby's Competitive Position

Previous Relationships: The three companies involved in the announcement have previous relationships. Joby acquired Blade last month, and its helicopters were previously available on the Uber platform, albeit in limited promotions. At the same time, Joby acquired Uber's "Elevate" air taxi division in 2020, giving the startup a significant boost in its plans to develop and build electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. This helped Joby advance to lead a large group of eVTOL startups. The startup went public through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company in 2021, raising hundreds of millions of dollars since then, backed by major companies such as Toyota. Uber currently owns about 2.5% of Joby.

Market Resilience: Joby has endured in this competitive market, but the same cannot be said for some of its rivals. Companies like Germany's Volocopter and Lillium have exited the market, while Hyundai-owned Supernal is facing its own difficulties now, having recently halted its aircraft program.