Archer, United announce air taxi link between Chicago and O’Hare

California electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) developer Archer Aviation has extended its partnership with longtime investor United Airlines in a deal that will launch air taxi services between downtown Chicago and O’Hare International airport – the second route in a planned US network.

The news follows the announcement last November of Archer starting air taxi flights for United passengers between the airline’s Newwark, NJ hub and downtown Manhattan. As with its planned Chicago services, those New York shuttles are scheduled to begin sometime in 2025, the same year the eVTOL plane maker plans to commence broader aerial operations.

Archer’s Chicago air taxi link will connect United’s O’Hare hub with the vertiport in the Illinois Medical District, near the Loop. That route promises to cut the trip between the two spots down to around 10 minutes, compared to the hour-plus slog it can often take in heavy traffic.

The partners are adopting the same strategy for their Chicago activity as they did in New York. Initial routes will focus on providing fast, safe, and non-polluting transportation between city centers and airports, with additional routes – known as “trunks” – being branched out from there to surrounding communities. 

“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.”

The second air taxi link offered by Archer and United is more than likely just the start of a network the airline is expected to operate at its other major US hubs in Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. 

Read: Archer nearing completion of its first production eVTOL air taxi

That activity is another facet of the long partnership between the two companies. In that, United has not only acted as an investor, but also a buyer of Archer’s air taxis, adviser in air transport operations, and organizer and service provider of its developing maintenance operations. Their mutual work in Chicago ­– United’s biggest US hub – is therefore a logical extension of that.

“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 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.”