Archer lays out air-taxi plans for Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and Austin

Archer Aviation announced plans on October 23, 2026 for electric air-taxi networks in Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and Austin, proposing flights that would connect major airports with offices, hotels and leisure destinations. The proposed stops range from Frisco Station, near the Dallas Cowboys’ headquarters, to Galveston and the Formula 1 circuit in Austin.

Archer estimates that its aircraft could make flights of 10–20 minutes on journeys that take 60–90 minutes by car. The networks would use Midnight, a piloted, all-electric aircraft designed for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), allowing it to use landing sites without a conventional runway. The comparison concerns flying time; passengers would also need to reach the departure site, board and travel onward after landing.

In North Texas, the plan includes Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, along with airports in Addison, Arlington and Fort Worth. Archer is working with developer Hillwood on a connection to Frisco Station, where offices, homes and hotels surround The Star, the Cowboys’ headquarters. Hillwood describes the development as a 242-acre mixed-use district. A helipad was built there for the earlier Uber Elevate project, giving the proposed network an existing aviation site at one of its business destinations.

The Houston proposal would connect George Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby and Sugar Land Regional airports with the downtown Thompson Hotel helipad and Galveston. In Austin, Archer proposes linking Austin-Bergstrom International and Austin Executive airports with the helipad at Circuit of the Americas, home to the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

The Texas announcement follows a series of piloted Midnight flights in California. Archer said on October 19, 2026 that the aircraft had flown around San Francisco Bay, taking off and landing at Oakland International Airport. For the Austin Grand Prix, the company announced an aircraft display running from October 22 through October 25, 2026. Archer says it is still seeking Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of Midnight’s design, after completing the third of four certification phases.

Archer plans to operate in Texas under the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, whose participants include the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The agency’s Project Nexus is intended to test how new aircraft and services fit into the wider aviation system. TxDOT says it is finalizing operational details with the FAA, with initial operations planned for fall or winter 2026. The state’s timetable covers its pilot program; Archer did not set a passenger-service launch date in the October 23 announcement.

Charging infrastructure is also being planned. Archer, BETA Technologies and Macquarie Capital formed America’s Consortium for Electric Skyways on July 16, 2026 to develop shared aviation charging sites, including in Texas. BETA would supply the charging equipment, while Macquarie Capital would advise on arranging investment for site acquisition and construction. The consortium aims to electrify up to 250 sites nationally, with chargers intended to serve different aircraft operators.

TxDOT has set out a three-year sequence of testing that begins with helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft flying without passengers to validate routes. Medical and cargo trials would follow, including proposed flights carrying critical supplies or organs between rural facilities and medical centers in Austin and San Antonio. TxDOT places passenger air-taxi flights across the Texas Triangle in the program’s final phases.