If you’ve ever had to fly to New York City, you may have experienced the “joy” of getting from the airport into Manhattan. Three major facilities service the Big Apple — John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark (New Jersey), and LaGuardia.
If you have to travel from JFK, the country's largest international gateway, to midtown during rush hour, prepare for a long (60-90+ minutes), disturbingly expensive ($70-100+), stressful ride in a cab or an Uber.
Don't forget to tip.
You could always take trains (you’d need to take at least two since there’s no direct service), but that’s not a whole lot of fun if you have a few bags, and it’s not exactly a great option late at night.
In sum, just getting to the Big City might end up being the least enjoyable part of your trip.
But that could all change if a California company called Joby Aviation achieves their dream, and it could happen in the not-too-distant future. They’re showcasing what they’re calling the “first-ever point-to-point electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi demonstration flights,” you see, and they really did just get from JFK to midtown in minutes. Incredible.
Bring these things to Los Angeles as soon as possible — please.
Joby just completed it's first electric aircraft flight , JFK to Manhattan in 10 minutes , future is here pic.twitter.com/8iQ9QXoJgf
— Shai Goldman (@shaig) April 27, 2026
They announced on their website Thursday that their first runs were a success:
New York, NY—April 27, 2026—Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced the completion of the first-ever point-to-point electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi demonstration flights in New York City’s history, marking the start of a week-long public campaign across the city’s existing heliport network. Framed against the most iconic skyline in the world, the campaign offers the first real-world demonstration of how electric air taxis, which are quiet and produce zero operating emissions, will be able to connect the region, linking vertiports, international airports, and communities across the New York metropolitan area.
You’d certainly get some crazy good views:
Joby Aviation x New York City 🗽 pic.twitter.com/rJSSOi0bTY
— Joby Aviation (@jobyaviation) April 27, 2026
Our Ward Clark has previously opined on the possibility of air taxis becoming a thing. Will we soon be seeing flying Ubers? The answer certainly appears to be, "Absolutely."
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Joby has been working with the city to get the program soaring:
The company worked with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to launch the test flights, which trace some routes it envisions for future service.
Kevin O'Toole, Port Authority chairman, said the agency's role is to ensure its transportation network "keeps pace with the future."
O'Toole added, "This cutting-edge aircraft is exactly the kind of innovation we have a responsibility to test, understand, and help shape for the good of the region and the public."
The Trump administration played its part in bringing on the future:
In March 2026, the White House selected Joby for an 'Air Taxi Program' to begin operations early in 10 U.S. states. Infrastructure development, such as vertiports and new traffic management systems, will be essential to support these operations, as seen in early plans like Orlando International Airport’s proposed vertiport for 2028.
While everyone debates what the next generation of infrastructure looks like, Joby went ahead and flew it over the New York skyline. Electric, nearly silent, JFK to Midtown in the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee. @SecDuffy, this needs to be everywhere https://t.co/7YGinpeomw
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 27, 2026
This could be a game-changer in helping unclog the nation’s roads and making airport trips a little less painful. Hurdles still remain, however: how to get the cost down so customers can actually afford it, and how can we make sure this is all safe? The company has indicated that it will charge around the same price as an Uber Black for a JFK trip, putting a ride somewhere between $120–$200.
Heck, I haven’t even ridden in a Waymo (the self-driving taxi) yet. My son did, and he said it was fantastic — he got to control the temperature, play his own music, not be forced to chat, and get some work done on his phone.
In Hollywood, meanwhile, you’ll see all these self-driving robots navigating the hectic streets to bring food deliveries (and God knows what else). They actually are kind of cute and look and act like some sort of weird intelligent animals. I would have predicted that such an operation would have been a failure, but from the looks of it, it seems to be a success, and the companies doing it are expanding their robot forces.
To be honest, I downplayed the notion that we were so close to self-driving vehicles — and yet here they are. Meanwhile, I was a little slow to realize the power of artificial intelligence; it all seemed like a big performative show to advertise a fancier version of Google search. Now that I've had a chance to see what it can do, I fully admit to being wrong. I am therefore not about to doubt that these Joby things will soon be in the air and getting people to the airport lickety-split.
You can’t fight the future, as I’ve found out. It's coming whether we want it or not.
