Delta Passengers Will Soon Be Able to Fly to and From the Airport in an Electric Aircraft

Delta Air Lines is stepping into the future with a new partnership that will allow customers to get to and from the airport by electric plane. 

The carrier will partner with Joby, which operates all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, to shuttle passengers from the city to the airport, Delta shared with Travel + Leisure on Tuesday. To start, Delta expects to roll out this service in New York and Los Angeles in 2024.

“Delta always looks forward and embraces opportunities to lead the future, and we’ve found in Joby a partner that shares our pioneering spirit and commitment to delivering innovative, seamless experiences that are better for our customers, their journeys, and our world,” Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement. “This is a groundbreaking opportunity for Delta to deliver a time-saving, uniquely premium home-to-airport solution for customers in key markets we’ve been investing and innovating in for many years.”

It wasn’t immediately clear what the new electric shuttle service would cost passengers. However it's worth noting that Delta invested $60 million in Joby up front and can expand its total investment up to $200 million in the future.

When it is ready, the Joby service will be integrated directly into Delta’s customer-facing channels.

Joby’s aircraft, which look a bit like helicopters with multiple propellers, have flown more than 1,000 test flights, according to the company. 

“We share Delta’s unwavering commitment to delivering seamless and sustainable journeys to customers,” Joby’s Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said in the statement. “Their history of innovation, along with their vast operational expertise and leadership on climate change, make them incredible partners for Joby, and it’s an honor to be working alongside them.”

Beyond Delta, several other airlines have invested in electric planes, like United Airlines, which in September purchased 200 four-seat electric aircraft as an investment in flying taxis. Similarly, Hawaiian Airlines has invested in electric seagliders, which could be used for sustainable island-to-island transportation.

Last month, an all-electric passenger plane took off for the first time, built to operate flights ranging from 150 miles to 250 miles.