Dubai To RAK In Less Than 15 Minutes: Flying Taxis To Begin Flights In H1 2027

Travel time between Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah will be reduced from more than an hour to less than 15 minutes, as electric air taxi operator Joby Aviation is set to begin flying taxi services in the first half of 2027.

In the first stage, the flying taxi will operate from Dubai International Airport vertiport to Al Marjan Island, which will house the multi-billion-dollar Wynn Resorts . In the second phase, the service is scheduled to launch from Al Marjan Island to Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE.

The launch of the flying taxi servic is aimed at or around the same time as the opening of the Middle East's first integrated gaming resort.

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Joby's air taxi flies at a top speed of 321 kmph and is designed to transport a pilot and up to four passengers with zero operating emissions.

The Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA), Joby Aviation, and Skyports Infrastructure signed an agreement on Monday to launch a passenger air taxi service in Ras Al Khaimah in 2027.

Under the agreement, Joby will also operate the first flying taxi service within Ras Al Khaimah.

Esmaeel Hasan Alblooshi, Director-General of RAKTA, said this partnership is an extension of Ras Al Khaimah's Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2030, which focuses on integrating transport modes.

“The launch of air taxi services represents a qualitative addition that provides fast, efficient, and eco-friendly mobility options, meeting the needs of both residents and visitors. It also contributes to enhancing quality of life and reinforcing Ras Al Khaimah's position as a modern, smart city and an attractive global destination,” said Alblooshi.

On-demand service

In an interview with Khaleej Times, Anthony Khoury, UAE General Manager, Joby Aviation, said the aim is to introduce a flying taxi service on the Dubai–Al Marjan Island route in the first half of 2027, and the Al Marjan Island–Jebel Jais route in the second half of 2027.

“We have not defined the frequency, and it's going to be an on-demand service. If we see there's a lot of demand going to Al Marjan Island, we will serve it with more and more trips, but we're keeping it open without a dedicated fleet or a schedule. We expect it to be busy, because the Wynn Resort is opening up in 2027 and we expect the demand to RAK will be extensive. So, Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah is an important route,” he said.

He added that the Wynn Al Marjan is opening around the same time, so:“We would love to be there during the opening, or at the opening. Ras Al Khaimah is going through a very exciting transformation . Currently, it's heavy on tourism, but when Wynn Resorts opens up, it's really going to change the landscape. We hope to serve it with our flights from Dubai Airport directly to Al Marjan Island.”

Khoury expects most of the demand will come from tourists, initially.

“Dubai to Al Marjan would be the primary demand driver. RAK is pushing a lot on adventure sports and tourism, such as trekking and hiking.”

“In the first couple of years, it will be focused on tourism. It might be interesting for residents, but if you think about the locations that we're launching early on, they're mainly tourist attractions. So, the majority will be tourists. As we grow the network and start building more vertiports, we will start focusing on the RAK Airport and RAK Downtown. Then it will become more and more interesting for residents.”

Per-mile cost

Khoury said the flying taxi fare has not been decided yet, but he expects it to be similar to Dubai pricing.

“It's the per-mile price, so that's the target... Our vision is to make it affordable and accessible to everyone. It's going to be a new service, so we will have limited availability. It's a trip that is not short in distance. It's quite a long trip. In the early days, it will not be as affordable, but as we continue growing and the technology gets better, it should drop down,” he said.

“We look forward to bringing this new route to life with our partners RAKTA and Skyports, and continue to build on the foundation we've laid across the UAE,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO and founder of Joby Aviation.

Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RAKTA in May 2024 to establish the foundations for a vertiport network in the northern emirate.

“We're excited to see the project move to the next tangible phase of development with Joby as the aircraft OEM and service launch partner. With the strong progress Skyports is currently making on our Dubai Vertiport Network, partnered with Joby as the air taxi service operator, together we are best placed to deliver air taxi services to RAK by 2027,” said Walker.

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