Joby Aviation Flying Taxis Could Take Off First in the Middle East

Joby Aviation flying taxis could debut first in Dubai or Saudi Arabia, offering investors early proof of commercial success in the Middle East urban air mobility market

When it comes to talking about where flying taxis would be introduced, it might be somewhere like Los Angeles or Tokyo. Yet with Joby Aviation flying taxis, it is reported that its initial commercial roll-out is going to be somewhere unexpected — the Middle East.

Dubai and Saudi Arabia are holding themselves up as hub cities for next-gen Urban Air Mobility, which gives Joby Aviation a fast track to maturing its eVTOL prototypes into revenue-generating passenger service operations. Investors tracking Joby's journey to commercialization may be well advised to pay attention to this shift.

Dubai gets ready for Joby Aviation flying taxis

The United Arab Emirates is aggressively investing in advanced transport solutions. Joby has already completed 21 piloted full-transition flights in Dubai, successfully testing its eVTOL aircraft under extreme desert temperatures up to 110°F (45°C). These flights were not just PR milestones — they provided critical operational data, validating battery performance, thermal management, and flight reliability in harsh conditions.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority is planning to launch an air taxi service in 2026. The infrastructure already exists with Skyports Infrastructure already building a Vertiport network with terminals both at Dubai International Airport as well as inner Dubai. If Joby meets this timetable, it would be flying paying customers in Dubai even before its U.S. debut, which would be the world's first live eVTOL service.

Saudi Arabia Hopes for a Future Transport Network

Saudi Arabia is not far behind. In 2025, Joby signed a partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel to explore delivering up to 200 eVTOL aircraft valued at roughly $1 billion. This aligns with the country’s Vision 2030 plan, which emphasizes innovation, sustainable technology, and smart city development.

New Saudi cities are designed with airborne mobility in mind, such as inclusion of vertiports as well as electric transportation corridors. The government's centralized decisioning may help fast-track approval so that Joby can open earlier than it would in Western markets.

Why the Middle East is Perfect for Joby Aviation Flying Taxis

The Middle East provides dense, compact cities, high-income groups, and abundant government support — which is ideal for Joby's approach. Short-range flying linking airports, cities/business districts, and resorts makes good sense logistically, while national-scale support minimizes regulatory barriers and fast-tracks infrastructure build-out.

Opening in Saudi Arabia or Dubai would create a international showcase, with resultant operational statistics affirming demand and obtaining Joby's credibility with authorities globally. Early regional commercial success might also serve to de-risk the venture prior to wider rollout.

Investor Implications

Even with its promise, Joby is still a speculative play. Revenue is nil, and it is losing money at a rate of more than $500 million per year on scaling up manufacturing and certification. But its Middle East deal is a one-off chance to transition prototypes to revenue-generating transportation.

If Joby Aviation aerial taxis started taking customers in Saudi or Dubai earlier than in the United States, then the narrative may shift from "hype" to "execution." Early revenues, even token amounts, would demonstrate real-world credibility and may attract partners, customers, and capital on favorable terms.

Investors following Joby would do well to keep a close eye on the Middle East — its launch of its initial paying passenger service may mark a turning point for the stock and create a special investment window.