The Windy City is set to be one of the first places in the US to see regular eVTOL service.
On March 23, 2023 United Airlines and Archer announced that plans were afoot to launch a regular air connection between Chicago O’Hare (ORD), the city’s main international airport, and Vertiport Chicago, a facility located at the Illinois Medical District, just west of the Chicago Loop, the heart of the city’s business area.
The two companies are working together with various other partners, which include the City of Chicago, the Chicago Department of Aviation, World Business Chicago, the State of Illinois, ComEd, and Vertiport Chicago, with the goal of starting operations in 2025.
United Airlines made headlines in August 2022 when it committed to buy 100 of Archer aircraft and, in a step still unusual in the eVTOL space, backed this announcement with a $10M cash deposit.
Once this initial eVTOL route between the airport and Chicago’s downtown is consolidated, the city’s eVTOL route network may expand to cover other locations in the metro area.
