Uber is preparing to take its ride-hailing model into the skies over the French Riviera, with helicopter transfers planned from early 2026…
Through a new partnership with Joby Aviation, the company will integrate short-haul flights into its app, allowing passengers to book hops between hubs such as Monaco, Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez. The service targets the region’s biggest mobility headache, gridlocked roads, by offering speed, exclusivity and a seamless digital booking experience.
Initially, travellers will be flown on conventional rotorcraft inherited from Blade Air Mobility’s network. Uber says this is just the first step towards a new generation of quieter, greener electric vertical take-off and landing craft (eVTOLs). Supported by UrbanV, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and Lilium, a series of “vertiports” stretching from Marseille to Monaco is expected to open in 2026, paving the way for an electric air-taxi network.
For Monaco, which regularly hosts high-profile events and welcomes an international elite, the service could become both a showcase of innovation and a practical solution during peak periods. Yet obstacles remain: prices will be high, helicopters are noisy and polluting until electric fleets arrive, and airspace management in a tightly regulated environment will be complex. Still, if the infrastructure and regulatory approvals align, the Riviera’s famous shoreline may soon be matched by an equally exclusive sky-lane.
Image: Uber
