28 September 2026
Ras Al Khaimah now has a date for air taxis: commercial services are targeted for the third quarter of 2027. On 28 September 2026 the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) and Skyports Infrastructure signed a binding Definitive Agreement to develop and operate the infrastructure for a network of four vertiports across the emirate. Phase 1 covers Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais, two more vertiports are planned in later phases, and Dubai is set to be the first inter-emirate connection.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parties | Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) and Skyports Infrastructure |
| Document | Binding Definitive Agreement, signed on 28 September 2026 at RAKTA headquarters |
| Scope | Development and operation of the infrastructure for a four-vertiport Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) network |
| Phase 1 | Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais |
| Later phases | Two more vertiports, subject to further planning, business case development and regulatory requirements |
| Commercial launch | Targeted for Q3 2027 |
| First inter-emirate link | Dubai |
| Strategy | Ras Al Khaimah Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2030 |
What was signed
The agreement was signed on behalf of RAKTA by its Director General, H.E. Eng. Esmaeel Hasan Al Blooshi, and on behalf of Skyports by Chief Executive Officer Duncan Walker. The signing was witnessed by Sheikh Omar bin Saqr bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAKTA, along with officials from both sides.
Under the Definitive Agreement, Skyports will develop and operate the ground infrastructure that air taxis need: vertiports, the take-off and landing sites for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. According to the official release, the network will provide fast point-to-point connections between key destinations in Ras Al Khaimah and links with other emirates. RAKTA describes the deal as the moment its AAM programme moves from strategic planning to implementation.
The vertiports are being designed with long-term flexibility, so that they can accommodate different certified aircraft types and approved operators as the sector develops. The announcement does not name the operator or the aircraft for the first routes.
Phase 1: Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais
The first phase connects two of the emirate’s main tourism destinations. Al Marjan Island is a man-made island on the Ras Al Khaimah coast; in its 2025 announcements RAKTA pointed to several major hospitality projects there, including the new Wynn resort. Jebel Jais is described by RAKTA as the UAE’s highest peak and one of the most visited destinations in Ras Al Khaimah.
The two additional vertiports will be developed in subsequent phases as the network expands. Their locations have not been announced, and their development depends on further planning, business case development and regulatory requirements.
From MoU to a binding agreement
The Definitive Agreement is the fourth step in a partnership that started in 2024:
- May 2024. Skyports and RAKTA signed a first Memorandum of Understanding to lay the foundations for a vertiport network in the emirate.
- 29 September 2025. RAKTA, Skyports and Joby Aviation signed a strategic MoU to launch a passenger air taxi service in Ras Al Khaimah by 2027, including an inter-emirate corridor with Dubai. Skyports then described Joby as the aircraft manufacturer and service launch partner.
- 19 November 2025. At the Dubai Airshow, RAKTA and Skyports signed a Framework Agreement on site identification, design, development and operation of an initial four vertiports, designed for both eVTOL aircraft and conventional helicopters.
- 28 September 2026. The binding Definitive Agreement, with the commercial launch targeted for Q3 2027.
In November 2025 RAKTA said that construction of the Phase 1 sites was expected to begin in early 2026. The September 2026 release does not give a construction schedule: the date it names is the commercial launch target.
The Dubai connection
Dubai is the first planned inter-emirate connection, and the Ras Al Khaimah network is meant to complement the AAM network already being developed there. Skyports builds the Dubai network together with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). In April 2026 the RTA and Skyports announced technical completion of the vertiport by Dubai International Airport: four floors, a footprint of 3,100 square metres and two take-off and landing areas. In July 2026 the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) certified this facility, registered as VDX: according to the GCAA and Skyports, it is the world’s first purpose-built commercial vertiport to receive regulatory certification. VDX is the primary hub of the Dubai network, with three more vertiports under development.
In 2025 the partners described the corridor as a link from Dubai to hospitality destinations in Ras Al Khaimah such as Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais. The new release does not give flight times, frequencies or fares for this route.
What RAKTA and Skyports said
“The Emirate is entering an important period of growth across tourism, hospitality, real estate and infrastructure, and our transport network must continue to develop alongside that growth,” said Eng. Esmaeel Hasan Al Blooshi, Director General of RAKTA. “By preparing the infrastructure, regulatory framework and network integration early, we are positioning Ras Al Khaimah to be among the region’s leaders in the next generation of mobility.”
“Ras Al Khaimah is undergoing significant growth and has a clear vision for how future mobility can support its tourism and economic development,” said Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports. “Building on the progress we have made in Dubai, the planned network in Ras Al Khaimah represents another important step towards a more connected AAM ecosystem.”
Part of the Mobility Plan 2030
The programme supports the objectives of Ras Al Khaimah’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2030, which puts connectivity, sustainability, innovation and integration at the centre of the emirate’s long-term transport planning. RAKTA says it is planning transport infrastructure in parallel with the growth of tourism, hospitality, real estate and the population, and air taxis are meant to complement existing road and public transport. Development will continue in coordination with local and federal authorities, with safety, regulatory compliance, operational readiness and integration with the wider transport network as the priorities.
RAKTA, established by Emiri Decree No. (1) of 2008, regulates and oversees transport in the emirate, including transport planning, infrastructure development and the licensing of transport activities. Skyports designs, builds and operates heliports and vertiports and has operational sites in the UK and the US.
What is not yet known
- Fares and the booking model.
- Flight times between Al Marjan Island, Jebel Jais and Dubai.
- The aircraft type and the operator of the first routes.
- The exact vertiport sites and the locations of the two later ones.
- The construction schedule of Phase 1.
What it means for companies in the UAE
The agreement is an infrastructure project with a target date, not a service that can be booked today. For planning, three facts matter: the Q3 2027 target, the Phase 1 destinations and the open design of the network.
- Hotels, tour operators and event organisers working with Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais are the businesses on the Phase 1 route. Until fares and schedules are published, air taxi transfers are not something to build into client prices or programmes.
- The release does not tie the vertiports to a single aircraft or operator. Any operator will still need the relevant approvals.
- Vertical flight in the UAE is regulated by the GCAA. Earlier today we reported that the GCAA cut domestic heliport approval to two working days; that announcement did not say whether the new route applies to air taxi vertiports. Ras Al Khaimah is also preparing a regulatory sandbox for personal flying cars.
- Companies that plan services around air mobility, such as ground handling, maintenance, booking platforms or tourism packages, need a licence with the right activities in the right jurisdiction. Our guide to company formation in the UAE explains the options, from free zones to the mainland.
Checklist for businesses in Ras Al Khaimah
- Follow official updates from RAKTA and Skyports on vertiport sites, the operator and fares.
- Do not promise clients air taxi transfers until the service has a published schedule and prices.
- If you plan aviation or tourism services around the network, check which activities your trade licence covers and whether any of them needs an additional approval.
- Plan work visas early if you hire pilots, engineers or ground staff from abroad.
- Open a corporate bank account before you sign contracts with larger partners.
How Atlant Capital can help
We do not develop vertiports or handle aviation approvals. We set up and maintain the business side of companies that want to work in Ras Al Khaimah and across the UAE, including companies in tourism, hospitality and aviation services.
- Company formation in a free zone or on the mainland, with licence activities matched to your services.
- Work visas and residency for your team and their families.
- Corporate bank account opening for new and existing companies.
The bottom line
Ras Al Khaimah has a binding agreement and a target date for air taxis: RAKTA and Skyports will build a network of four vertiports, starting with Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais, with commercial services targeted for Q3 2027 and Dubai as the first inter-emirate link. Fares, flight times, the operator and the construction schedule are still to be announced.
Source: Gulf News, Skyports Infrastructure, RAKTA, Joby Aviation.
FAQ
When will air taxis start flying in Ras Al Khaimah?
Commercial air taxi services in Ras Al Khaimah are targeted for the third quarter of 2027. The date was set in the binding Definitive Agreement that the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) and Skyports Infrastructure signed on 28 September 2026 for a network of four vertiports.
Where will the first vertiports in Ras Al Khaimah be?
Phase 1 of the network covers Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais, two of the emirate’s main tourism destinations. Two more vertiports are planned in later phases, subject to further planning, business case development and regulatory requirements. Their locations have not been announced.
Will there be air taxi flights between Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai?
They are planned: Dubai is the first inter-emirate connection of the Ras Al Khaimah network. It is meant to complement the Dubai air taxi network that Skyports develops with the RTA, where the VDX vertiport by Dubai International Airport was certified by the GCAA in July 2026. Flight times, schedules and fares for the route have not been published.
Who will operate air taxis in Ras Al Khaimah?
Skyports Infrastructure will develop and operate the vertiports. The September 2026 announcement does not name the aircraft operator and says the network will accommodate different certified aircraft types and approved operators. In the September 2025 MoU, Joby Aviation was named as the aircraft and service launch partner.
