About
The Margham → Al Maktoum International (DWC) flight on 9 November 2025 was the first electric-air-taxi point-to-point flight conducted in the UAE. The piloted Joby S4 covered the route from the Margham flight-test facility (Joby's UAE flight-test centre operational since June 2025) to Al Maktoum International Airport in 17 minutes.
The flight was conducted under the regulatory umbrella of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), and Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS). It was announced as the cornerstone of Joby's expanded Dubai air-taxi network release of 17 November 2025, which also added Atlantis the Royal, Dubai Mall, and American University of Dubai as confirmed vertiport sites.
This is a flight-test event, not a commercial route. The route as flown does not correspond directly to a planned commercial corridor. Commercial point-to-point flights are gated on completion of GCAA aircraft type certification, targeted for Q3 2026.
Key facts
Timeline
- 2025-06Joby Margham flight-test facility opens for UAE operations. [joby-ir-2025-11-17]
- 2025-11-09Joby S4 completes 17-minute piloted flight from Margham to DWC — first UAE point-to-point eVTOL flight. [joby-ir-2025-11-17]
- 2025-11-16RTA Dubai issues press release confirming flight under joint GCAA/RTA/DCAA/DANS oversight. [rta-2025-11-16]
- 2025-11-17Joby IR announcement of flight + expanded vertiport network (Atlantis the Royal, Dubai Mall, American University of Dubai). [joby-ir-2025-11-17]
Practical info
How to get there
By metro
No public access — this was a flight-test event, not a commercial service.
By car
Origin Margham is closed to the public. Destination DWC is accessible from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
From the airport
DWC is approximately 35 km by road from DXB. The Margham → DWC route does not connect from DXB directly.
Regulatory status
The flight was conducted under the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE, with operational oversight from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), and Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS). GCAA aircraft type certification for the Joby S4 is targeted for Q3 2026; commercial point-to-point flights are gated on that certification.
Current progress
As of 20 May 2026, the 9 November 2025 flight remains the only documented point-to-point eVTOL flight in the UAE. Joby is preparing for Air Operator Certificate (AOC) issuance by GCAA. Commercial passenger point-to-point operations are expected in 2026.
Connected entities
Aircraft
Vertiports
- DXB Vertiport · under_construction
- Margham Flight Test Facility · operational
Frequently asked questions
What is the Margham → DWC route?
Was the Margham → DWC flight a commercial flight?
Can the public fly this route?
Why was Margham → DWC the test route?
What is the significance of this flight?
Sources
- [joby-ir-2025-11-17] Joby Aviation IR — Dubai Air Taxi Network Takes Flight (17 Nov 2025) operator-ir · accessed 2026-05-20
- [rta-2025-11-16] RTA Dubai — Successful First Crewed Electric Aerial Taxi Flight (16 Nov 2025) regulatory · accessed 2026-05-20
Verification flags
- This was a flight-test event, not a commercial route — single occurrence on 9 Nov 2025.
- Margham is closed to the public; no public access to this route.
- Commercial point-to-point operations gated on GCAA type certification (Q3 2026 target).
- Route as flown (Margham → DWC) does not correspond directly to a planned commercial corridor in the published network.