Archer Aviation and ITA Airways plan electric air taxi services in Italy
3 min read
Archer Aviation and ITA Airways have signed an agreement to partner on an electric air taxi network in Italy, which could connect major airports with city centres using Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
The Lufthansa Group airline is the first European carrier to join Archer’s international network of airline partners.
The companies will explore opportunities to introduce electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) services in major Italian cities, with Rome among the potential locations.
Archer says its Midnight aircraft could shorten journeys that currently take 60 to 90 minutes by road to flights lasting between 10 and 20 minutes.
One proposed application is a connection between Rome Fiumicino Airport and the city centre. According to Archer, the journey could take less than 10 minutes by air, compared with approximately an hour by car.
ITA Airways explores airport-to-city air taxi connections
ITA Airways will help develop the network by coordinating with aviation and transport stakeholders and exploring how air taxi services could connect with its existing airline operations.
The carrier, which serves more than 70 destinations worldwide, would integrate the proposed services into the passenger journey. Specialist partners would operate the aircraft.
Joerg Eberhart, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ITA Airways, said the agreement would allow the airline to assess how electric aircraft could complement conventional air services.
“This agreement with Archer represents an important step in assessing how electric air taxi services could complement our network and enhance connections between airports, city centres and other strategic destinations,” he said. “As part of this process, we are exploring different solutions to identify the best possible product for our customers.”
Archer Midnight targets short urban flights
Archer’s Midnight is an electric aircraft designed for short journeys between airports and urban destinations.
The company is developing the aircraft for frequent, consecutive flights, which could provide an alternative to road transport in congested metropolitan areas.
Midnight produces no direct emissions during flight, although its overall environmental impact will depend partly on the electricity used to charge it.
Archer recently conducted several days of piloted demonstration flights in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, including flights between Oakland and San Francisco’s Marina District that took approximately 10 minutes.
Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, pointed to Italy’s tourism market as an opportunity for the proposed service.
“Italy is one of the most visited countries on Earth: Rome Fiumicino crossed 50 million passengers last year for the first time in its history,” he said. “Every one of those travellers deserves the option to skip an hour in traffic with a 10-minute, all-electric flight.”
Archer expands airline partnerships across Europe, Asia and the US
The agreement with ITA Airways adds another airline to Archer’s international partners, which already includes United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air and Ethiopian Airlines.
In the US, Archer has been working with United Airlines on proposed airport-to-city air taxi connections. The companies outlined plans for a New York network in April 2025, including flights between Manhattan and nearby airports that could take five to 15 minutes.
Archer also signed an agreement with Southwest Airlines in July 2024 to explore electric air taxi connections at California airports.
In Asia, Korean Air agreed to become Archer’s exclusive partner in South Korea in October 2025. The agreement includes a potential purchase of up to 100 Midnight aircraft, initially targeting government applications before wider commercial deployment.
Archer is also working with Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation’s joint venture, Soracle, on proposed air taxi services in Japan. The partnership has been selected to participate in projects in Tokyo and Osaka.
In Africa, Ethiopian Airlines signed an agreement in March 2025 to introduce Midnight aircraft under Archer’s Launch Edition programme.
Abu Dhabi Aviation was Archer’s first announced customer.
The ITA Airways partnership gives Archer another potential European market, although the proposed services will depend on obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, finalising operating arrangements and building supporting infrastructure.
