Uber is preparing to expand its travel options by adding air mobility services to its app, through a new partnership with Joby Aviation. The move follows Joby’s acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business in August, paving the way for Blade flights to be integrated into Uber as soon as next year.
Blade claims that it has been a key player in short-distance air travel, flying more than 50,000 passengers in 2024 across routes in New York and Southern Europe. By combining this network with Uber’s global platform, the companies aim to deliver a seamless experience for customers looking to move quickly between airports, city centres and other high-traffic destinations.
Andrew Macdonald, president and COO of Uber, said in a statement that the deal builds on a long-standing belief at the company.
“Since Uber’s earliest days, we’ve believed in the power of advanced air mobility to deliver safe, quiet and sustainable transportation to cities around the world,” he said.
“By harnessing the scale of the Uber platform and partnering with Joby, we’re excited to bring to our customers the next generation of travel.”
Uber’s ties to the sector date back to 2019, when it began collaborating with Joby to shape urban air mobility. In 2021, Joby acquired Uber’s Elevate division, which helped create tools for market selection and multi-modal transport.
Joby now plans to use Blade’s infrastructure and decade of operational experience to accelerate the launch of its own electric air taxi service in global markets, including Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom and Japan.
The integration of Blade now should set the stage for the eventual rollout of Joby’s own zero-emissions air taxi, designed to carry four passengers and a pilot at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (321 kmph).
For Uber, the deal extends its multi-modal vision, placing helicopters and electric air taxis alongside cars, bikes and deliveries.
