Air taxis is all set to become real in the UK. As per the latest information, Joby Aviation, the company building electric flying taxis, has signed a final agreement with Virgin Atlantic to bring this service to British cities. The deal was signed at the Farnborough International Airshow and locks in a partnership the two companies first talked about back in 2025.
Joby and Virgin Atlantic Sign Final Deal to Launch Flying Air Taxis in the UK
This isn’t just a friendly agreement anymore — it’s now a legally binding, multi-year contract. Under this deal, Virgin Atlantic becomes Joby’s only official airline partner for air taxi services in the UK.
There’s also a bigger connection here. Delta Air Lines, which already works with Joby in the US, owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic. So this new UK deal links three major travel brands — Joby, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic — all working toward faster ways to travel.
How Will Booking Work?
Once the service launches, Virgin Atlantic will let customers book an air taxi ride directly through its app and website — right alongside their long-haul flight bookings. So if you’re flying to London on Virgin Atlantic, you could also book a short air taxi hop to your hotel or destination in the same place.
Where Will It Launch First?
Joby plans to start operations at Virgin Atlantic’s hubs in London and Manchester, with Manchester acting as the base for flights across the north of England.
Some of the very first routes expected are:
- Manchester Airport to Leeds – around 15 minutes by air taxi
- Heathrow to Central London – as fast as 8 minutes
For comparison, both of these trips currently take over an hour by car. That’s the biggest selling point of this whole plan — cutting travel time dramatically for short city hops.
Joby will fully handle the technical side — flying the aircraft, managing routes, and getting approval from the UK’s aviation regulator (the CAA). Virgin Atlantic’s job is to help build the ground infrastructure and bring in customers at both hubs.
Company leaders sound optimistic about the plan. Virgin Atlantic’s CEO called it a step toward making travel more seamless between towns, cities, and airports, while Joby’s CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, described the UK as one of the most exciting markets for this kind of technology.
What Does the Aircraft Actually Look Like?
Joby’s aircraft looks like a small plane but flies more like a drone. It uses six tilting propellers, letting it take off and land straight up and down — no runway needed. It’s also designed to be far quieter than a regular helicopter.
Earlier this month, people in London got a chance to see a full-size model of the aircraft up close at Potters Fields Park, right across from Tower Bridge, where visitors could sit inside and imagine what a future flight might feel like.
travel across the city, including flights to JFK. (Photo: Joby Aviation)
Joby has already completed thousands of test flights, including recent demo flights in San Francisco and New York, where it flew directly between JFK Airport and Manhattan.
When Will It Actually Launch?
No firm launch date has been announced yet. Joby still needs full certification from UK aviation regulators before commercial flights can begin — a process that’s already underway. Once cleared, the company plans to slowly expand the service to more UK cities beyond London and Manchester.
