During the Farnborough International Airshow on 22 July 2026, UK airline Virgin Atlantic and electric air taxi company Joby Aviation formally signed an agreement to collaborate on bringing air taxis to the UK. The first flights are expected to launch in London and Manchester.
In 2025, Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic first announced they planned on working together to launch an air taxi service in the UK. The collaboration did not come as a surprise, given the earlier partnership between Joby and Delta Airlines, which holds a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic. On 22 July 2026, a formal agreement was signed between the two companies.
London, thank you for the warm welcome and your excitement for quiet, electric flight. 🇬🇧⚡️
— Joby Aviation (@jobyaviation) July 13, 2026
Next stop: Farnborough International Airshow. https://t.co/cYkzQSkB5u pic.twitter.com/r5Ntix7Gp6
“This agreement marks an exciting next chapter in our partnership with Joby and a significant step towards bringing electric air taxi services to the UK. Together, we’ll create more seamless journeys for our customers, making it easier than ever to travel between towns, cities and our airports. Innovation has always been part of Virgin Atlantic’s DNA, and we’re proud to partner with Joby to help shape the future of travel while delivering the premium customer experience we’re known for,” said Corneel Koster, CEO of Virgin Atlantic.
The agreement clearly stipulates the roles of both partners. On the one hand, Virgin Atlantic will offer Joby’s air taxi service through its booking platforms, including its mobile app and website. This will allow travellers in the UK to book a seamless air taxi connection alongside their long-haul flights. The airline will also support infrastructure integration and customer acquisition at both hubs.
On the other hand, Joby will retain sole responsibility for aircraft operations, route management, and securing UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulatory approvals. The company plans to launch the air taxi service at Virgin Atlantic’s hubs in London and Manchester.
“Virgin Atlantic’s dedication to a world-class customer experience makes them the right partner to represent Joby in the UK, and this agreement reflects the next step in that relationship. The UK is one of the most exciting markets for this technology, and this partnership could drive significant opportunities for Joby as we bring air taxi service to some of the country’s busiest cities,” stated JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation.
Joby’s aircraft uses six tilting propellers, allowing it to take off and land vertically with a fraction of the noise produced by today’s helicopters. The aircraft are designed to carry one pilot and up to four passengers at maximum speeds of 200 mph (322 km/h). The taxis are optimised for back-to-back flights and can be expected to be deployed on routes of up to 100 miles (161 kilometres).
With that in mind, the Manchester Airport to Leeds route would take approximately 15 minutes and Heathrow to Central London about 8 minutes, while both journeys take over an hour by car. In a comment to news outlet Business Insider, Bonny Simi, Joby’s president of operations, said prices would be comparable to those of Uber Black, amounting to approximately $130 to $160 (ÂŁ100-120) for a trip between Heathrow and Central London.
A timeline for the launch of the service has not yet been announced, but the Civil Aviation Authority of the UK is looking to certify passenger-carrying commercial eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) from the end of 2028.
