Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY) shares climbed 3.8% on Monday following the completion of a series of electric vertical takeoff and landing - eVTOL - demonstration flights across New York City. The operations were described by the company as point-to-point air taxi demonstrations linking Manhattan heliports with John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The aircraft departed from JFK and landed at locations within the city's heliport network, including Downtown Skyport and the West 30th Street and East 34th Street Heliports in Midtown. According to Joby, the routes provided connections between Lower Manhattan, Midtown and JFK in under 10 minutes, compared with typical roadway travel times that the company says range from 60 to 120 minutes.
The demonstrations took place over a week and represent Joby's participation in the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which was created by executive order with the goal of accelerating commercial electric air transportation. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey partnered with Joby and the Federal Aviation Administration to enable the flights.
Joby's planned commercial approach in New York builds on its 2025 acquisition of Blade Air Mobility's passenger business. Blade operated passenger services and supplied infrastructure in Manhattan and at area airports, serving more than 90,000 passengers in 2025, according to information provided by Joby. The company has said it intends to launch commercial air taxi services through partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber.
The company frames the service as a solution for travel times to airports, citing traffic congestion that it reports cost New York commuters an estimated 102 hours in 2025. Joby is positioning its air taxi routes to shorten airport commutes, using the Manhattan heliport network and airport infrastructure inherited through the Blade acquisition.
On the regulatory front, Joby is progressing through the final stages of Federal Aviation Administration certification. The company recently flew its first conforming aircraft for Type Inspection Authorization, a step that will enable FAA pilots to conduct for-credit tests as part of the certification process.
The New York demonstrations follow a Bay Area flight campaign that included a flight over the Golden Gate Bridge as part of Joby's 2026 Electric Skies Tour. The New York flights and prior demonstrations form part of Joby's broader effort to demonstrate route feasibility, infrastructure integration and to advance toward commercial operations.
Note: This report presents the company's statements about the demonstrations, acquisition, partnerships and certification progress as provided by the company.