Flying Over the 405? LA’s Air Taxi Future Is Taking Shape

Traffic jams are so last year.
If Archer Aviation has its way, Angelenos could soon bypass the city’s infamous gridlock by commuting through the sky.

The electric air taxi company is positioning itself as a major transportation option ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, promising ultra-short flights across the city at prices comparable to an Uber Black. According to Archer CEO Adam Goldstein, what can take 90 minutes by car could be reduced to a five-minute flight.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation project,” Goldstein said, calling it one of the most exciting developments in modern aviation.

The Official Air Taxi of LA28

Momentum picked up in May when LA28 — the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — named Archer Aviation the official air taxi provider for Team USA and the event itself. Since then, the company has secured deals with key venues and acquired Hawthorne Airport as its main hub. The location is strategic: just two miles from LAX and close to major Olympic sites like SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Photos shared with The California Post show the aircraft looking more like sleek, oversized drones than traditional airplanes. Designed to operate at helicopter-like altitudes of about 1,500 to 2,000 feet, the vehicles promise a very different experience from the chopper rides Angelenos are used to.

Quieter Than a Helicopter, Smaller Than a Jet

Unlike helicopters, which rely on a single large rotor and produce that familiar “wop wop” sound, Archer’s aircraft use multiple small propellers embedded within the rotor disc. The result is a soft whoosh rather than a roar — a key selling point for operating in dense urban airspace.

“These planes are closer in size to a car than a 787,” Goldstein said. A fully loaded aircraft weighs about 6,500 pounds — roughly the same as a Tesla Model X — while offering double the battery life.

Each aircraft costs around $2.5 million to manufacture, with full-scale production taking place at a large facility in Atlanta.

Booking a Flight Like You Book a Ride

Passengers will be able to book flights through the Archer app, much like ordering a ride-hail vehicle. Pricing, Goldstein said, should land in the same range as Uber Black.

For comparison, an Uber Black ride from LAX to the LA Memorial Coliseum — a key Olympic venue — currently costs just under $100. Archer aims to make its flights accessible not just to VIPs, but to everyday Angelenos looking to skip traffic on the 405.

Fast-Tracked by the Feds

The federal government has been accelerating Archer’s rollout through the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which supports early trials of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft across the U.S. The goal: test safety, build public trust, and prepare for large-scale deployment.

Archer, along with several competitors, is expected to begin trial flights this summer in Huntington Beach and other pilot cities. If approvals move quickly, the first commercial rides could follow soon after.

Not Everyone Is on Board

Still, the path forward hasn’t been turbulence-free. Community groups and aviation critics have circulated a “Stop Flying Taxis in Southern California” petition for more than a year, raising concerns about noise, low-flying aircraft, and a lack of public input.

Goldstein compares the skepticism to early fears surrounding self-driving cars.

“You just have to show them,” he said, noting that one ride in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving mode convinced his once-skeptical parents. “It’s a show, don’t tell.”

Despite the pushback, Goldstein says he’s grateful the political and regulatory pieces have aligned.

“I’m just lucky the politics could work themselves out,” he said.

If Archer succeeds, the daily LA commute may never look the same — and the fastest route across town might just be straight up.