Delta is partnering with air taxi startup Joby Aviation to deliver short-range home-to-airport transportation, the airline said Tuesday. The service will initially be available to Delta customers flying through New York and Los Angeles.
Delta's initial $60 million investment can increase to as much as $200 million if certain milestones on the development and delivery of the service are met, the airline said. The expected date for the commercial launch of the service for Delta customers hasn't been disclosed. Joby's air taxi service still needs to clear various regulatory hurdles before it becomes available to the public. However, the startup received its Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration in May and said it hopes to launch its service in 2024.
Once the service launches, travelers will be able to book seats to and from city airports with the air taxi service through Delta's customer-facing reservation system. Delta hasn't yet announced pricing.
Joby Aviation's all-electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft has undergone more than 1,000 test flights over the past 10 years and has been designed to comply with the safety standards of the FAA and other aviation regulators around the world, according to Joby's website. It has a top speed of 200 miles per hour, can carry a pilot and four passengers a maximum of 150 miles on one charge and can make the trip from Manhattan to JFK airport in 7 minutes, the company says.