The hated, unpredictable commute to the airport is close to becoming a thing of the past. Instead of an Uber to transport you from Manhattan to Newark Airport, you may soon be able to choose an air taxi. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) is promising to be the solution to jammed New York roadways. In November 2022, Archer Aviation Inc. and United Airlines announced their first airport-to-city center route between United’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and New York City.

According to Conde Naste Traveler, the first planned takeoff and landing site will be the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Mentioned in the official news release about the new travel alternative, Archer plans to launch an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) network across the New York Metropolitan Area. It added that the company’s goal with the electric air taxi network is “to provide passengers with safe, quick, quiet and cost-effective transportation to and from EWR.”

Currently, the estimated car travel time from Downtown Manhattan to EWR can be as long as an hour or even more due to traffic. Archer estimates that with the implementation of the new air taxi, the same trip will be less than 10 minutes. Speed won’t be the only benefit of the eVTOL. They will be electric, low-noise, sustainable and safe alternatives to helicopters. They will utilize Archer’s Midnight model.

Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO, expressed his excitement about the innovative merger the company is embarking upon. “We’re excited to be confirming New York as the first of many routes we’ll be announcing alongside United as we work to build out our national UAM network,” Goldstein said. He continued, “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with United and to working closely with state and local government leaders in the New York and New Jersey area as we bring this exciting new form of transportation to life.”

New York City mayor Eric Adams also weighed in on the launch.

“We are thrilled that Archer and United Airlines have selected to launch their first route right here in New York City. We want New York to be a place of bold innovation and outside-the-box thinking, and I encourage other companies to follow their lead,” Adams said.

The flights will be available for passengers in 2025. The company has not announced travel pricing yet. The outlet stated it will be comparable or less to the $195 price tag associated with similar helicopter travel companies like Blade.