Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic sign UK air taxi agreement

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic bring air taxi services to the UK

Joby Aviation, a company developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger services, and UK airline Virgin Atlantic signed a definitive agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow this week. The deal formalises the partnership first announced by the companies in 2025 to introduce Joby’s air taxi service to the United Kingdom.

The agreement turns the partnership unveiled in 2025 into a binding, multi-year commercial commitment, naming Virgin Atlantic as Joby’s exclusive airline partner for UK air taxi services. It builds on Joby’s existing relationship with Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, bringing together three brands focused on making travel across the UK faster and more convenient.

In 2022, Joby and Delta revealed a multi-city partnership intended to pioneer community-to-airport transport, with mutual exclusivity in the US and UK. Delta and Virgin Atlantic operate as partners within a shared transatlantic network, and Joby’s agreement with Virgin Atlantic complements and extends its Delta partnership.

“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,” said Corneel Koster, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Atlantic. “Together, we will create more seamless journeys for our customers, making it easier than ever to travel between cities and our airports. Innovation has always been part of Virgin Atlantic’s DNA, and we are proud to partner with Joby to help shape the future of travel while delivering the premium customer experience we are known for.”

“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,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. “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.”

Booking Joby air taxi connections with Virgin Atlantic

Under the agreement, Virgin Atlantic will make Joby’s air taxi service available through its booking platforms, including its mobile app and website. This will enable UK travellers to book a seamless air taxi connection alongside their long-haul flights.

Joby intends to launch services from Virgin Atlantic’s London and Manchester hubs, with Manchester serving as the anchor for Joby’s connections across the North of England. Initial routes are expected to include Manchester Airport to Leeds in around 15 minutes, and Heathrow to Central London in as little as 8 minutes-journeys that currently take more than an hour by car.

Joby will retain sole responsibility for aircraft operations, route management and securing regulatory approvals from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA). Virgin Atlantic, meanwhile, will support infrastructure integration and customer acquisition at both hubs. Over time, Joby expects to extend the network to a broad range of cities and communities throughout the UK.

Joby eVTOL aircraft and UK certification progress

Early in July, members of the public were able to experience Joby’s aircraft first-hand when a full-scale model was displayed at Potters Fields Park in London, directly opposite Tower Bridge. Visitors could sit inside the aircraft and picture a future flight from that location to Heathrow taking only minutes.

Joby’s aircraft features six tilting propellers, allowing it to take off and land vertically while producing a fraction of the noise generated by helicopters. It is designed for rapid, consecutive flights and is expected to operate on routes of up to 100 miles (160 km).

Joby has carried out thousands of test flights, including recent demonstrations in San Francisco and New York, where the company flew point-to-point between JFK Airport and Manhattan. Certification of Joby’s aircraft is progressing under the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the UK CAA, building on the company’s 2022 validation application.

Information from Joby Aviation