Archer and ITA Airways drive forward vision for sustainable air taxi travel in Italy

Archer Aviation Inc. and ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier and a member of the Lufthansa Group, have entered into a strategic partnership to advance the deployment of an all-electric air taxi network across Italy. As part of the Star Alliance network, ITA Airways currently serves more than 70 destinations worldwide, making it a key player in the country’s aviation landscape.

The collaboration will focus on introducing Archer’s Midnight electric aircraft in major Italian cities, offering a faster and more sustainable alternative to traditional ground transportation. Designed for frequent short-range missions with zero operational emissions, Midnight aims to dramatically reduce urban travel times. Journeys that typically take 60 to 90 minutes by car could be completed in just 10 to 20 minutes by air. For example, a transfer between Rome Fiumicino Airport and the city centre, which can often take around an hour by road, could be reduced to less than 10 minutes aboard Midnight.

Archer recently demonstrated Midnight’s capabilities in a real-world urban environment during a series of piloted flights in California’s Bay Area. The aircraft successfully completed multiple missions between Oakland and San Francisco’s Marina District, covering the route in approximately 10 minutes and highlighting its potential to integrate seamlessly into busy metropolitan airspace.

Joerg Eberhart, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ITA Airways  commented: "ITA Airways aims to play a pioneering role in advanced air mobility, exploring innovative solutions and collaborations that can strengthen connectivity and deliver tangible benefits for passengers. This agreement with Archer represents an important step in assessing how electric air taxi services could complement our network and enhance connections between airports, city centers and other strategic destinations. As part of this process, we are exploring different solutions to identify the best possible product for our customers. By fostering an integrated, seamless and more sustainable travel experience, we want to help shape the future of mobility in Italy and offer our customers an increasingly efficient journey from origin to destination." 

Founder and CEO of Archer, Adam Goldstein said: “Italy is one of the most visited countries on Earth: Rome Fiumicino crossed 50 million passengers last year for the first time in its history. Every one of those travelers deserves the option to skip an hour in traffic with a 10-minute, all-electric flight. Italy has the regulatory leadership, the infrastructure, and now the airline partner to make air taxis a reality, and I'm proud to be taking this step with ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group to bring the future of electric aviation to Europe.”

ITA Airways is positioning itself as a driving force in Italy’s advanced air mobility ecosystem, helping to bring together industry stakeholders, expertise, and innovation to support the development of next-generation transport solutions. The airline will focus on creating a seamless customer experience by integrating future air taxi services with its broader network, while collaborating with specialized partners responsible for operations and infrastructure. Together, the partners will assess a range of opportunities aimed at delivering a premium and highly connected travel experience.

With this agreement, ITA Airways becomes the first European airline to join Archer’s growing global network of strategic partners. The collaboration marks a significant step in Archer’s international commercialization strategy, building on momentum already established in key markets including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions pursuing advanced air mobility initiatives.