Imagine stepping out of your apartment, taking an elevator to the rooftop, and catching an air taxi to your office.
In Dubai, that future is closer than you think.

At the Dubai Airshow 2025, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) revealed that developers are already planning buildings designed with rooftop access for air taxis a key step toward the city’s goal of launching commercial air mobility in 2026.

A City Preparing for Air Taxi Travel

According to RTA officials, Dubai isn’t waiting for flying taxis to arrive before preparing for them. Work is underway now.

• Developers are coordinating with RTA at early design stages
  This ensures new communities can integrate “vertiports”, the landing hubs for air taxis directly into residential and commercial districts.
• Initial operations will begin in early 2026
  The first phase will be a trial run with government officials and corporate partners.

Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of Dubai’s Public Transport Agency, emphasized that most developers are eager to be part of this next chapter.
“We want air taxis to fit naturally into future communities,” he explained.
The vision: a transport system that people can reach simply on foot.

Dubai’s First Vertiport: Almost Ready for Takeoff

One of the city’s most crucial air mobility hubs is already taking shape.

• Dubai’s first vertiport near DXB is 60% complete
• Expected to be ready by early 2026
• A total of four vertiports are planned for the commercial launch

This network will form the backbone of Dubai’s early air taxi routes connecting key landmarks and easing future expansion.

A Major Milestone: Dubai’s First Point-to-Point Test Flight

Dubai recently completed a significant trial:
a 17-minute point-to-point air taxi flight by Joby Aviation, from the Margham test site to the Airshow grounds.

This successful flight marked an important step toward aircraft qualification and real-world readiness.

Designing Future Cities Around Air Mobility

Industry leaders say this shift won’t just change how we travel, it will reshape entire cities.

Walking-distance vertiports

Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt imagines a future where residents can walk to a nearby vertiport, hop into an electric aircraft, and land right on the roof of their office.
He describes it as a natural evolution, similar to how cities once redesigned themselves around cars.

Dubai as a global model

Skyports CEO Duncan Walker believes Dubai’s dense and high-value real estate market makes it the perfect testing ground.
“If we can do it here, we can export this model anywhere,” he said.

What About Noise and Safety?

Public curiosity and concern is expected anytime new technology takes flight.
RTA is already working to ensure the community feels confident and informed.

• Air taxi aircraft are much quieter than helicopters
• Continued testing will further reduce noise levels
• Safety protocols are being refined with global partners
• Public awareness campaigns are underway

The goal is simple: make the service safe, quiet, and eventually affordable.

What Happens Next?

Dubai plans to begin pilot-only test flights in early 2026, followed by a gradual rollout of commercial routes later in the year.

The early network will focus on key point-to-point connections, eventually expanding as vertiport infrastructure grows. Over time, air taxis will become an everyday option and another layer in Dubai’s ever-evolving transport ecosystem.

The Big Picture

Dubai isn’t just preparing for air taxis; it’s quietly rewriting what urban mobility can look like.

By working hand-in-hand with developers before construction even begins, the city is ensuring that rooftop vertiports become as natural as parking spaces or metro access points.

The message is clear:
Air mobility isn’t a futuristic concept anymore. It’s the next step in Dubai’s journey and the skyline is getting ready for it.