United Airlines to Launch Air-Taxi Route in Chicago With Archer Aviation 3/23/23 7:16 AM ET (Dow Jones)Print
By Will Feuer
United Airlines Holdings Inc. said it would launch an air-taxi route in the home of its corporate headquarters, Chicago, with start-up Archer Aviation Inc.
The route would ferry passengers between O'Hare International Airport and Vertiport Chicago, a vertical takeoff and landing facility in the Illinois Medical District.
The companies said the air-taxi route would take passengers between the two destinations in about 10 minutes, compared with an hour-long trip during rush-hour traffic.
"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," said Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines' venture arm.
Archer and United previously said the first air-taxi route would connect Newark Liberty International Airport with the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in New York City.
United previously invested in Archer and has struck a preliminary agreement to buy up to 200 of the start-up's electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, also called eVTOLs.
Archer shares rose almost 4%, to $2.60, in premarket trading.