United Airlines has announced their first commercial electric air taxi route between Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Vertiport Chicago, near the downtown loop. The flight will take about 10 minutes – compared to an hour by road – and fares will be competitive with current ground-based ride shares, like Uber.
This new air taxi service will run on Midnight electric aircraft manufactured by Archer Aviation. The Midnight is an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft powered by six standard EV battery packs. It holds four passengers, luggage and a pilot, can travel up to 100 miles at 150 mph, and takes 12 minutes to recharge between trips – plenty of time to load new passengers and cargo.
United Airlines has made a $10 million down payment for the first 100 Midnight aircraft and plans to purchase up to 200 Midnights to transport passengers between its main hubs and city centers nationwide.
“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.”
“Technological innovation thrives here in Chicago, and this venture between Archer and United is yet another example of this strength,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “This exciting new technology will further decarbonize our means of transportation, taking us another step forward in our fight against climate change. I’m pleased that Chicago residents will be among the first in the nation to experience this innovative, convenient form of travel.”
“Here in Illinois, we are taking bold steps to lead the clean revolution—paving the way for a more sustainable future for our state, our nation, and our world,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I can’t think of a better team than Archer and United to partner with as we work to ensure our existing aviation infrastructure can support this new and exciting form of transportation. This partnership is just another way that we will achieve our goal of transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2050—all while saving Illinoisans money and creating thousands of good paying jobs in the process.”
“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. “We’re looking forward to working with state and city leaders to bring an innovative transportation solution to the City of Chicago and its surrounding communities.”
“Vertiport Chicago is delighted to participate alongside United Airlines and Archer in revolutionizing intra-city travel in Chicago,” said Daniel Mojica, the Executive Director of Vertiport Chicago. “This partnership will inspire other cities to plan for cutting-edge transportation solutions.”
United Airlines’ new electric air taxi service is schedule to launch in 2025, the same year that a major construction project begins on Chicago’s main expressway between ORD with Chicago’s downtown area.
Ref: Joint press release by Archer Aviation Inc. and United Airlines.
