From 45 to 10 minutes: Air taxis set to slash Dubai travel times

Travelling from Dubai Airport to Atlantis the Royal, or from there to the Dubai Mall, in just minutes is no longer a futuristic dream. Joby Aviation’s electric air taxis – fresh from successful desert trials and the UAE’s first piloted point-to-point test flight to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) – are now gearing up for full-scale city trials in Dubai.

Urban trials

Initially, flights will be limited to pilot-only operations, followed by transporting Joby’s own staff and selected individuals, before moving toward expected commercial services later in the year. However, residents can soon expect to see the air taxis flying quietly over the city from early next year.

Anthony Khoury, General Manager – UAE at Joby Aviation, said the service will offer high-speed, emissions-free travel between some of Dubai’s most high-profile destinations, providing an alternative that could eventually ease growing traffic congestion.

“We all dream about reducing congestion. Look, early days, we’re going to start small. So, it might not be revolutionary in terms of impact on congestion. But the idea is to transition a small percentage of people, instead of them moving on the roads, to start moving in the air,” Khoury told Gulf News.
“And this will start little by little, as we continue expanding, as we grow our fleet, to really reduce congestion on the roads.”

Four locations

Dubai has already announced four vertiport locations for the service: the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal, the Dubai Mall and Dubai International Vertiport (DXV), adjacent Dubai International Airport (DXB).

“So, a road from the airport to the Atlantis is the one which is taken a lot by tourists. So, you will start seeing tourists, instead of staying 45 minutes to an hour on the road, now travelling by air taxi – it's going to take them just 10 minutes,” Khoury said.

New options

He added that the air taxi network will introduce “new options and possibilities” for residents and visitors alike.

“And the same, you’re staying in the Atlantis the Royal, you want to go to the Dubai Mall. Instead of taking another car and taking an hour, you just grab an air taxi, and you get dropped at the Dubai Mall. So, it really is great for both tourists and residents in solving their problems of transportation,” he added.