DXV: Construction officially starts on Dubai’s first commercial vertiport ahead of planned 2026 flights
August 1, 2025
Dubai has officially begun construction on the world’s first air taxi station, or ‘vertiport’, for upcoming electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) operations. The vertiport, conveniently located next to Dubai Airport, has even been given an official code – DXV.
Construction begins on Dubai vertiport
On 30 July, Gulf Business reported that Dubai is moving forward on plans to construct the first commercial vertiport. It is the first such facility to have received design approval under the newly created UAE Vertiport Regulations, and follows Joby flying its eVTOL air taxi in Dubai for the first time.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, confirmed the extensive involvement of DXB in the ambitious undertaking. “We’re very heavily involved in it,” Griffiths stated, emphasising the collaborative effort to bring this futuristic vision to life. “In fact, construction on site has started.”
The three-storey vertiport building will cover an area of approximately 3,100 square metres. The facility will have two landing areas, designed to support both eVTOL and conventional helicopter operations.
Each landing area will be equipped with fast charging technology to enable rapid battery recharges between flights, supporting up to 10 aircraft landings per hour. The vertiport has also been designed with the flexibility to expand capacity to accommodate future demand growth.
Passenger amenities at the vertiport are designed to provide a seamless, premium experience, including electronic check-in, security screening, a comfortable departure lounge, and briefing areas. The vertiport can support up to 170,000 passengers per year.
The location for the vertiport was selected due to its proximity to Dubai International Airport (DXB). In parallel, Skyports is developing an additional three vertiport sites on the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Downtown, and Dubai Marina.
Dubai is set to be an early adopter of eVTOL services
Dubai is poised to be one of the world’s earliest adopters of air taxi (eVTOL) services, with a full public network slated to launch in early 2026.
In a landmark public–private partnership, Joby Aviation secured a six‑year exclusive agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to supply and operate five-seat all‑electric vertical take‑off and landing aircraft across the city
Joby’s S4 eVTOL air taxi is designed to carry four passengers and a pilot up to 200 mph. They will be able to cut down the travel time between the UAE’s cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 30 minutes, down from around two hours by car during peak traffic.
The initiative has already reached several milestones: Joby delivered its first production eVTOL aircraft to Dubai in mid‑2025 and embarked on both piloted demonstration flights and certification efforts in coordination with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority.
Dubai’s ambitions are supported by a regulatory framework purpose-built for urban air mobility. The RTA and Joby are collaborating with Skyports Infrastructure to manage vertiport development, certification, and operations. Joby is also undergoing a five‑stage Air Operator Certificate application through the UAE’s civil aviation authority to ensure safety, pilot training, maintenance, and operational readiness
In neighbouring Abu Dhabi, Joby rival Archer has flown its Midnight eVTOL at Al Bateen Executive Airport after validating it with a manned flight earlier this summer.
That flight was specifically designed to evaluate aircraft performance under UAE-specific conditions such as high heat, humidity, and desert dust. It further supports Archer’s Launch Edition commercialisation programme in partnership with Abu Dhabi Aviation, aiming to prepare for full operational service in 2026
Vertiports: The airports of tomorrow
Vertiports (‘vertical ports’) are set to see a great deal of activity in the coming years.
The UK’s first vertiport testbed is being built at Bicester Motion by Skyports Infrastructure under the UK’s Future Flight Challenge initiative. The facility includes a 160 m² terminal and covers 0.42 acres (0.17 hectares) .
In Singapore, Skyports and Volocopter built the VoloPort demonstration centre in Marina Bay as early as 2019. Thousands of visitors witnessed prototype operations, including passenger check‑in and battery swap logistics.
In the USA, Orlando International Airport is planning a vertiport on its East Airfield to serve Lilium’s regional air taxi concept, targeting operations by 2028. Meanwhile, in Florida, Senate Bill 1662, enacted in July 2025, promotes investment and development of vertiports across multiple districts. The Daytona Department of Transportation could fund up to 100% of capital costs for vertiport projects.
Archerfield Airport in Australia has announced a partnership with Boeing-owned Wisk Aero to build infrastructure compatible with autonomous eVTOL operations ahead of the 2032 Olympics, while in Maharashtra, India, the state has launched a plan to integrate vertiport development throughout multiple districts, aligning with its Smart City mission.
A comprehensive market map report from Global Advanced Air Mobility/Urban Air Mobility Market Map identifies 1,044 vertiports currently planned globally between 2024 and 2028, including formal announcements by eVTOL operators and governments. Analysts caution that not all planned projects will materialise; just 24 were built in 2024.
