Uber Air Dubai means your next “where to?” could take you through the sky
Traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road might soon be optional. Uber Air Dubai is preparing for take-off, giving riders the option to book an all-electric air taxi straight from the Uber app. Yes, really. The school run, the airport dash, that meeting across town – it could all happen 200mph above the city.
What is Uber Air Dubai?
Uber has teamed up with Joby Aviation and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to introduce Uber Air powered by Joby. The plan is simple: make aerial taxis part of your everyday transport options.
Joby expects to carry its first passengers in Dubai later this year, marking a major step in its partnership with Uber to expand multi-modal transport across global cities.
How it will work
Open the Uber app. Type your destination into the “Where to?” bar. If your journey qualifies, Uber Air Dubai will appear as an option alongside your usual rides. Tap once and the app will arrange the entire trip – including Uber Black pick-up to the vertiport, the flight itself, and your drop-off at the other end.
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What the flight will be like
The aircraft is designed to carry up to four passengers, each with large windows for full city views. It will be flown by a certified commercial pilot, at least in the early stages. Expect a smooth, direct route above the traffic, with the kind of perspective usually reserved for helicopter tours.
The aircraft details
Joby’s all-electric air taxi uses six tilting propellers to lift off vertically before shifting into forward flight. It can reach speeds of up to 200mph and travel as far as 100 miles on a single charge. It’s engineered with multiple safety redundancies and designed to operate quietly within city environments.
Beyond Dubai
Before commercial operations begin in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires extensive certification. Joby has already completed more than 50,000 flight miles and has entered the final stage of approval.
Uber and Joby have been working together since 2019, and in 2021 Joby acquired Uber’s Elevate division to advance urban air mobility. The long-term plan? Expansion to cities including New York, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom and Japan. For Dubai, though, the future is landing first.
Images: Uber website
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