Dubai has officially finished building the world’s first custom-built commercial air taxi station near Dubai International Airport, with commercial flights expected to take off by the end of 2026. The significant development was announced when Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, toured the new facility on April 17, 2026. It is being billed as the first such station anywhere in the world.
The centre measures 3,100 square metres over four levels and has two specialized take-off and landing pads, a two-level parking park and climate-controlled passenger lounges. The vertiport will accommodate up to 170,000 passengers a year and incorporates Joby Aviation’s Global Electric Aviation Charging System, the first fast-charging equipment ever installed at a commercial vertiport.
The service will be run by Joby Aviation of California, which has exclusive rights to provide air taxi services in Dubai for six years. The airplane is a fully electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle for quick, low noise, zero-emission travel. Skyports Infrastructure is responsible for the design, implementation and management of the station with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority responsible for governance and integration with the larger transport network.
The completion, Sheikh Hamdan said, was a major step for the emirate. “The introduction of the Air Taxi infrastructure is an important milestone in the adoption of new sustainable transport modes and in Dubai’s preparedness for the decades to come,” he stated during his visit. We are committed to establishing a comprehensive, multi-level transport ecosystem based on sophisticated technologies, while increasing alternatives for residents and visitors across the emirate.”
The trip from Dubai International Airport to the Palm Jumeirah should take approximately 10 to 12 minutes, compared to about 45 minutes by automobile in normal traffic. The initial four-station network will connect the airport to Dubai’s vital business and tourism areas, with an additional three stations planned for Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
Mattar Al Tayer, Dubai’s RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, affirmed that the air taxi service would be integrated with metro, bus and shared mobility systems. “The aerial taxi will offer a new and unique service to the residents and visitors of Dubai who are seeking a fast, safe and convenient mode of transport between key destinations across the city,” he added.
under November 2025 Joby made the UAE’s first piloted point-to-point air taxi flight, a 17-minute route from its Margham test center to Al Maktoum International Airport, confirming the aircraft’s performance under local environmental conditions. Initial trial operations might begin as early as early 2026 on a test basis, the RTA said, with selected passengers from government authorities and partner companies asked to travel free of charge and give feedback before full commercial debut.
“It’s a historic moment,” said Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports Infrastructure. He said: “We are seeing the making of aviation history as the world’s first commercial vertiport is now technically ready to carry eVTOL flights.” “This new class of infrastructure is the result of years of planning and detailed design, combining the latest technologies and innovations that will revolutionize the way people get around their cities.”
Also, the vertiport is planned to accommodate conventional helicopter traffic under a hybrid regulatory framework established in conjunction with the General Civil Aviation Authority, enabling a seamless integration with existing aviation operations. Once operational, Joby’s first commercial launch in the growing urban air mobility sector will include the ability for passengers to book flights through an integration with the Uber ride-hailing platform.
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