Los Angeles could soon have a new way to beat some of its notorious traffic.
AEG and Archer Aviation announced Monday, Aug. 24, plans to develop a new electric air taxi vertiport at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. If completed, the project would become the first announced vertiport in downtown Los Angeles and add a major entertainment destination to Archer’s planned air taxi network.
The announcement comes less than two years before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when transportation will be a major concern for visitors moving between venues across the region.
L.A. LIVE Could Become a Launch Point for Air Taxis
The planned vertiport would be located at L.A. LIVE, the four million square foot sports and entertainment district next to Crypto.com Arena.
The area includes major entertainment and hospitality destinations such as Peacock Theater, The Novo and the GRAMMY Museum. It also sits next to the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, making the location particularly attractive for fans attending concerts, sporting events and other major gatherings.
Under the agreement, Archer would become the exclusive air taxi provider for L.A. LIVE.
The companies say the planned location would allow fans, artists and visitors to travel to and from the district aboard Archer’s Midnight electric aircraft.
Archer Wants to Cut Long L.A. Trips Down to Minutes
Archer’s larger Los Angeles plan is built around short electric flights connecting major destinations around Southern California.
The company says its planned network could eventually allow passengers to travel across Los Angeles in roughly 10 to 20 minutes. That could offer a dramatic alternative to ground trips that can take an hour or more when traffic is heavy.
The planned network has included locations such as SoFi Stadium, the University of Southern California and Hollywood Burbank Airport. Archer also plans to use Hawthorne Airport as a central operational hub.
The concept is straightforward. Instead of sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405 or another crowded L.A. freeway, passengers would take off vertically, fly above the city and land at another nearby vertiport.
The Midnight Aircraft Is Designed for Urban Travel
Archer’s Midnight is a piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, commonly referred to as an eVTOL.
The aircraft is designed for short urban trips rather than traditional airline routes. Archer says Midnight can reach speeds of up to 150 mph and is intended to produce zero operating emissions during flight.
The aircraft takes off and lands vertically, allowing it to operate from specially designed vertiports rather than requiring a conventional airport runway.
That feature is especially important in Los Angeles, where finding space for traditional aviation infrastructure in dense urban areas can be difficult.
The 2028 Olympics Are a Major Part of the Plan
The timing of the L.A. LIVE announcement is no coincidence.
Archer is the official air taxi provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA. Its planned Los Angeles network is expected to connect several locations that will be important during the Games.
Downtown Los Angeles is expected to play an important role during the Olympics and Paralympics, making L.A. LIVE a potentially valuable location for the company’s future network.
The new vertiport could eventually give visitors another transportation option while the city deals with the enormous crowds expected for the Games.
The Project Is Still in Development
For anyone hoping to book an air taxi ride through downtown Los Angeles right away, there is still a wait.
AEG and Archer have completed an initial feasibility study covering land use, airspace, electrical power availability and potential community impacts. The companies said the next phase is focused on the operational approach and passenger experience.
The project therefore remains a development plan rather than an operating transportation service.
The companies have not announced a public launch date for the L.A. LIVE vertiport.
Los Angeles Could Become a Showcase for Electric Flight
The planned L.A. LIVE location gives Archer something bigger than another landing site. It puts the company’s electric aircraft directly in the middle of one of America’s best known sports and entertainment districts.
That could make the location a high profile showcase for electric air travel as Los Angeles prepares for a string of major events.
The city is already preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archer has been positioning its planned air taxi network around those events and the long term transportation needs of Southern California.
Archer Aircraft Will Be Displayed at L.A. LIVE
To mark Monday’s announcement, Archer planned to display its Midnight aircraft at L.A. LIVE on Aug. 24 and Aug. 25.
The aircraft is also being shown with a special Team USA livery as Archer promotes its role ahead of the LA28 Games.
For Los Angeles residents, the display offers a glimpse at what could become a familiar sight around the city if the company’s air taxi plans move forward.
A New Way to Think About Getting Around L.A.
Los Angeles has long been associated with freeways, traffic jams and long commutes. Electric air taxis could eventually add an entirely different layer to the city’s transportation system.
The planned L.A. LIVE vertiport is still a project in development, but its location shows how companies are looking beyond traditional airports as they prepare for the next generation of urban transportation.
If Archer’s broader network comes together as planned, getting across Los Angeles for a major game, concert or event could eventually mean taking to the skies instead of spending another hour stuck on the freeway.