Stellantis-Backed Archer Aviation Maps Out NYC Air Taxi Network

Getting to New York City’s airports from Manhattan can be a nightmare—especially during rush hour. Stellantis-backed Archer Aviation wants to change that, and they’ve just revealed a big plan to do it.

In partnership with and United Airlines, Archer has laid out its vision for an air taxi network using its all-electric Midnight aircraft. The idea? Replace hour-long drives with quick 5- to 15-minute flights between Manhattan and major airports like JFK, Newark, and LaGuardia.

Archer’s Midnight is a sleek, battery-powered aircraft designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter. It seats four passengers and a pilot, runs quietly, and doesn’t produce emissions while flying. With 12 motors and redundant systems, it’s built with safety in mind—similar to a commercial airliner.

“The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s CEO and Founder. “But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes.”

The network would rely on existing airport infrastructure and helipads to build out a series of “vertiports” across the city and region. Passengers would be able to book Archer flights as part of their overall travel itinerary—taking a Midnight air taxi to catch a United flight, for example.

United Airlines has already ordered a fleet of Midnight aircraft and sees the technology as a major step forward for customer convenience.

“Our focus is on driving innovation, reimagining the future of air travel, and enhancing the customer experience every step of the journey,” said Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures. “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure—such as real estate development, air space management, and safety and security protocols—necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers.”

Archer is working closely with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as aviation service providers like Signature Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, Modern Aviation, and Skyports. The Port Authority is optimistic about the future of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) travel.

Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority, said, “The Port Authority is excited to help explore the possibility of a new wave of air mobility in the New York and New Jersey region. We look forward to continued collaboration with Archer, other OEMs, operators and partners across the ecosystem to responsibly explore how this new technology can be safely integrated into the region’s broader transportation network.”

City leadership is also optimistic. “New York City is ushering in an exciting new chapter of safe, quiet, and sustainable air transportation,” said Andrew Kimball, President & CEO of the NYC Economic Development Corporation. “We look forward to partnering with Archer and other leading eVTOL companies to propel this industry forward, facilitating the transition to eVTOLs and last-mile Blue Highways delivery—cleaning up our skies, unclogging our roadways, and improving the lives of New Yorkers in the process.”

Archer already has similar air taxi plans in the works for Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the potential impact in NYC could be huge. Not only does it mean faster trips to the airport, it could reshape the future of how people get around big cities altogether.

With FAA Part 135 approval already secured, Archer is now working on full aircraft certification. Once that’s achieved, Midnight will be cleared for commercial use—and a quick trip to JFK could soon be as easy as booking an Uber.