An $8 flight to JFK? Electric air taxi just made it real

So, this happened just recently: Beta Technologies pulled off a major milestone in electric flight. 

Their Alia”aircraft — a fully electric air taxi — flew from East Hampton to JFK with four passengers onboard on June 3.

It was an actual passenger flight, all-electric, quiet, and efficient, which cost $8 in electricity to fly, as per Beta.

“This is a 100% electric airplane that just flew from East Hampton to JFK with passengers on it, which was a first for the New York Port Authority (NYPA) and the New York area. We covered 70-odd nautical miles in 35 minutes,” said CEO Kyle Clark.

That’s about 130 km in just over half an hour — no gas, no roar of jet engines, just smooth, clean air travel. 

In March, its Alia CX300 became the first all-electric aircraft to perform a coast-to-coast flight in the US. 

$8: Cost of charging

“Charging this thing up and flying out here cost us about $8 in fuel,” Clark said. “Of course, you have to pay for the pilot and the airplane, but, fundamentally, it’s way less expensive.”

Let that sink in: an $8 flight to JFK. 

The aircraft also just concluded its demonstration flights at the Paris Air Show 2025, which ran from June 16-22, 2025.

And not in some cramped prop plane — passengers were able to talk to each other the whole time because the ride was that quiet. 

No engine hum, no headset yelling. Just peaceful, futuristic air commuting.

Beta Technologies has also made a strong presence at the recently-concluded Paris Air Show 2025.

Why this matters for everyday travel

This isn’t just another stunt.

It’s a peek into the future of getting around — especially in and around cities where traffic is a daily nightmare. 

Electric aircraft like Beta’s aren’t just greener. They’re also quieter, cheaper to operate, and potentially way more convenient than anything we’ve got now.

Think less time stuck in traffic, more time where you want to be. And here’s the kicker: the industry is gearing up fast.

The big picture: Air taxis takeoff

More companies are working on electric aircraft, especially air taxis that can take off and land vertically. 

These aren’t just science fiction anymore. They're aimed at short city hops, offering travelers a way to skip traffic and cut carbon emissions while cruising quietly above the gridlock.

Five-eyes move

And governments are catching on.

In October, the FAA finalised rules for training and certifying pilots for these aircraft. Even bigger — the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand signed a deal to align their air taxi certification standards.

This will help speed up the safety certification and eventual rollout of air taxis, more generically known as urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. 

Industry experts say this was “the final piece in the puzzle for safely introducing these aircraft in the near term.”

Beta, the Vermont-based startup behind this electric ride, is one of the leading contenders in UAM solutions alongside Archer and Joby.

The latter expected to launch commercial air taxi operations in Dubai by end-2025. 

Since launching in 2017, Beta raised over $1 billion — including $318 million this year — to get these aircraft into production and out into the skies. 

Flying passengers in its air taxi could be a few week away: In April, it was reported that the Bristow Group will commence electric aircraft operations in Norway this August, deploying the Alia CX300 for "regional mobility services."

And it’s not just about the planes — they’re also building the charging and operations infrastructure and ports to make electric air travel practical across the country.

What’s next?

Beta says its Alia can fly up to 250 nautical miles (about 460 km) on a single charge. 

That opens up tonnes of possibilities — flights between suburbs and cities, or even regional hops that cut hours off your trip.

The JFK landing is not just proof of concept, it's a signal that electric air travel isn’t just possible — it’s ready to start changing how we move.

Beta's Alia conventional takeoff and landing vehicle is already the first advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft to earn a market survey certificate from the FAA, allowing it to conduct real-world demo flights under strict safety protocols.

And they’re not the only ones soaring into this new era.

Joby Aviation is advancing its air taxi development and going through stringent regulatory approval, while Archer Aviation just launched piloted test flights this week. At this rate, your next quick hop between cities could be on a whisper-quiet, zero-emission aircraft.

As more infrastructure goes up, more companies jump in, and batteries get better/safer, this might just be how your next commute looks: quiet, smooth, and clean — and maybe costing less than your morning coffee.

Could air taxis start flying passengers soon in 2026? All eyes will be on the announced Joby launch in Dubai even sooner, i.e. before 2025 is out.

The future of air travel is already on the way. And it’s electric.