Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic have signed a definitive agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow, converting their 2025 partnership announcement into a binding, multi-year commercial framework that establishes Virgin Atlantic as Joby’s exclusive airline partner for air taxi services in the UK.
The collaboration builds on Joby’s existing partnership with Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic. Joby and Delta announced a multi-city US partnership in 2022, with exclusivity extending across both the US and UK markets.
Joby plans to launch service at Virgin Atlantic’s hubs in London and Manchester, with early routes expected to include Manchester Airport to Leeds in approximately 15 minutes and Heathrow to central London in around eight minutes. Virgin Atlantic will offer Joby’s air taxi service through its booking platforms, allowing travelers to book air taxi connections alongside long-haul flights.
“This agreement marks an exciting next chapter in our partnership with Joby and a significant step towards bringing electric air taxi services to the UK,” said Corneel Koster, CEO of Virgin Atlantic. “Together, we’ll create more seamless journeys for our customers, making it easier than ever to travel between towns, cities and our airports.”
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said: “The UK is one of the most exciting markets for this technology, and this partnership could drive significant opportunities for Joby as we bring air taxi service to some of the country’s busiest cities.”
Joby will retain responsibility for aircraft operations, route management and securing UK CAA regulatory approvals, while Virgin Atlantic will support infrastructure integration and customer acquisition. Certification is progressing under the bilateral aviation safety agreement between the FAA and UK CAA.
Joby’s aircraft uses six tilting propellers for vertical takeoff and landing and is designed for routes of up to 100 miles. The company has completed thousands of test flights, including recent point-to-point demonstrations between JFK Airport and Manhattan in New York.
