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Abu Dhabi air taxi services could launch by year-end, transport chief says
ITC chief says air taxi services could begin by year-end or early 2027, while a new mobility platform will allow residents to plan, book and pay for journeys across transport modes
- PUBLISHED: Fri 26 Jun 2026, 12:16 PM UPDATED: Sat 27 Jun 2026, 10:55 PM
Abu Dhabi residents could soon plan, book and pay for their journeys through a single platform similar to TAMM. Air taxi services are meanwhile expected to begin operating in the emirate by the end of this year or early next year, a senior transport official said.
Speaking at the Forbes Middle East Building the Future Summit on Wednesday, Dr Abdulla Hamad Al Ghfeli, Acting Director-General of the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), outlined plans for what he described as a fully integrated mobility ecosystem spanning land, sea and air transport.
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He disclosed that air taxi operations are now "very close", with services expected to start by the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027.
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"The air taxi will soon start operating in Abu Dhabi by the end of this year or the beginning of next year," Al Ghfeli said during the panel discussion on the future of mobility.
The timeline comes as Abu Dhabi pushes ahead with plans to become one of the world's first cities to launch commercial electric air taxi services. US-based Archer Aviation has been working with Abu Dhabi authorities on the deployment of its Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with test flights already conducted in the emirate and infrastructure development underway.
Single platform for all journeys
Al Ghfeli also revealed that ITC is preparing to launch a mobility-as-a-service platform within months.
He described it as a "general platform" that would integrate different transport options into a single user experience.
"If you are trying to go to any point from any point, you will find this application helping you to start your trip with the right data, with the right choices and the options," he said.
The vision goes beyond journey planning. Al Ghfeli said ITC has already introduced a new automated fare collection system and is working towards a seamless payment experience across transport modes.
"We have delivered a new automatic fare collection system... using the latest technology," he said.
The concept resembles the government's TAMM platform, which brings together public services under one digital interface. While he did not specify which transport modes would be included at launch, Al Ghfeli said Abu Dhabi is working to integrate land, maritime and aviation mobility services.
AI-driven transport planning
The ITC chief said artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to manage both long-term infrastructure planning and day-to-day transport operations.
He said authorities are analysing data from multiple sources, including population growth forecasts, housing plans, economic strategies, taxis, buses and road sensors, to anticipate future demand and determine where infrastructure investments are needed.
According to Al Ghfeli, Abu Dhabi has established an integrated transport command platform that consolidates mobility data and enables authorities to predict traffic impacts, respond to incidents and optimise transport services.
The system supports what he described as a shift from reactive traffic management to predictive operations.
Integrating land, sea and air
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the need for mobility systems to function as a connected network rather than separate modes of transport.
Al Ghfeli said one of the biggest challenges is ensuring passengers can move seamlessly between different forms of transportation without encountering gaps in the system.
"We have to make sure that the points of interaction between all the three points are there and accessible to the public," he said, referring to land, maritime and air transport.
Capt Saif Al Mheiri, CEO of Abu Dhabi Maritime and Group Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer at AD Ports Group, highlighted how digitalisation is transforming maritime operations globally. He said technologies aimed at reducing vessel waiting times and improving logistics efficiency are helping cut fuel consumption and emissions.
Frederico Justus, CEO for the Middle East and South Asia at Egis, stressed the importance of integrating urban planning with transport planning to support future population growth and create more liveable cities. He advocated compact, mixed-use developments connected by high-quality public transport and active mobility networks.
The panel underscored Abu Dhabi's broader ambition to create a technology-enabled mobility ecosystem as the emirate prepares for future transport modes ranging from autonomous vehicles to air taxis. The ITC, recently rebranded as Abu Dhabi Mobility, oversees land transport, aviation and maritime activities across the emirate.
