United Airlines, Archer plan first electric air taxi route in Chicago

Archer Aviation Inc. and United Airlines plan to launch the first commercial electric air taxi route in Chicago, between O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago. Vertiport Chicago, North America’s largest vertical aircraft take-off and landing facility, is in the Illinois Medical District near the Chicago Loop. This site was selected as the take-off and landing site for this airport to city center route because of its convenience, access, and service. From there, passengers will be able to travel to and from ORD via Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Midnight aircraft in approximately 10 minutes. A similar trip by car can take an hour or more during rush hour traffic.

United and Archer’s goal for its urban air mobility (UAM) network is to provide residents and visitors in the Chicago Metropolitan Area with a safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive alternative to ground transportation beginning in 2025. Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, a center for business, innovation, and investment, and home to United’s headquarters. This makes it a unique city for Archer and United to build out their UAM network. The early launch routes will focus on airport to city center transportation service, its trunk routes. Once the trunk routes have been established, the next step will be to build out branch routes to connect to surrounding communities.

"Both Archer and United are committed to decarbonizing air travel and leveraging innovative technologies to deliver on the promise of the electrification of the aviation industry,” said Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures. “Once operational, we’re excited to offer our customers a more sustainable, convenient, and cost-effective mode of transportation during their commutes to the airport.”

“We’re thrilled to add Chicago to our growing list of initial launch cities as we continue to solidify our UAM network plans,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO.

Daniel Mojica, the executive director of Vertiport Chicago, adds, “This partnership will inspire other cities to plan for cutting-edge transportation solutions."

ComEd, the Midwest’s largest utility company, will work with United and Archer to establish the power infrastructure necessary to support eVTOL aircraft operations in and around the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

The announcement is viewed as an important step forward as United and Archer work with partners, such as the City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Aviation, World Business Chicago, the State of Illinois, ComEd, and Vertiport Chicago to ensure the appropriate infrastructure is in place around the Chicago Metropolitan Area to safely integrate eVTOL aircraft operations into the city’s transportation ecosystem.

This is the second commercial eVTOL route to be approved. Archer and United Airlines announced the first route in November 2022, between Newark Liberty International Airport [New Jersey] to Downtown Manhattan Heliport [New York City], also targeted for launch in 2025.