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Advanced Air Mobility: Demand Analysis and Market Potential of the Airport Shuttle and Air Taxi Markets

Author

Listed:
  • Rohit Goyal

    (Independent Researcher, Boston, MA 02128, USA)

  • Colleen Reiche

    (Quantitative Scientific Solutions, Arlington, VA 22203, USA)

  • Chris Fernando

    (Quantitative Scientific Solutions, Arlington, VA 22203, USA)

  • Adam Cohen

    (Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA)

Abstract

Advanced air mobility (AAM) is a broad concept enabling consumers access to on-demand air mobility, cargo and package delivery, healthcare applications, and emergency services through an integrated and connected multimodal transportation network. However, a number of challenges could impact AAM’s growth potential, such as autonomous flight, the availability of take-off and landing infrastructure (i.e., vertiports), integration into airspace and other modes of transportation, and competition with shared automated vehicles. This article discusses the results of a demand analysis examining the market potential of two potential AAM passenger markets—airport shuttles and air taxis. The airport shuttle market envisions AAM passenger service to, from, or between airports along fixed routes. The air taxi market envisions a more mature and scaled service that provides on-demand point-to-point passenger services throughout urban areas. Using a multi-method approach consisting of AAM travel demand modeling, Monte Carlo simulations, and constraint analysis, this study estimates that the air taxi and airport shuttle markets could capture a 0.5% mode share. The analysis concludes that AAM could replace non-discretionary trips greater than 45 min; however, demand for discretionary trips would be limited by consumer willingness to pay. This study concludes that AAM passenger services could have a daily demand of 82,000 passengers served by approximately 4000 four- to five-seat aircraft in the U.S., under the most conservative scenario, representing an annual market valuation of 2.5 billion USD.

Suggested Citation

  • Rohit Goyal & Colleen Reiche & Chris Fernando & Adam Cohen, 2021. "Advanced Air Mobility: Demand Analysis and Market Potential of the Airport Shuttle and Air Taxi Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7421-:d:587391
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    Cited by:

    1. Shon, Heeseung & Lee, Jinwoo, 2025. "An optimization framework for urban air mobility (UAM) planning and operations," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    2. Hae Choi, Jong & Park, Yonghwa, 2022. "Exploring economic feasibility for airport shuttle service of urban air mobility (UAM)," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 267-281.
    3. Jiang, Yu & Li, Zhichao & Wang, Yasha & Xue, Qingwen, 2025. "Vertiport location for eVTOL considering multidimensional demand of urban air mobility: An application in Beijing," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    4. Ariza-Montes, Antonio & Quan, Wei & Radic, Aleksandar & Koo, Bonhak & Kim, Jinkyung Jenny & Chua, Bee-Lia & Han, Heesup, 2023. "Understanding the behavioral intention to use urban air autonomous vehicles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Pons-Prats, Jordi & Živojinović, Tanja & Kuljanin, Jovana, 2022. "On the understanding of the current status of urban air mobility development and its future prospects: Commuting in a flying vehicle as a new paradigm," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    6. Mingkai Wang & Saulo O. D. Luiz & Shuguang Zhang & Antonio M. N. Lima, 2023. "Electric Flight in Extreme and Uncertain Urban Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Garrow, Laurie A. & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & German, Brian J. & “Jack” S. Glodek, John & Leonard, Caroline E., 2025. "Market segmentation of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi commuting service in five large U.S. cities," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    8. Jaeho Yoo & Yunseon Choe & Soo-i Rim, 2022. "Risk Perceptions Using Urban and Advanced Air Mobility (UAM/AAM) by Applying a Mixed Method Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-14, December.

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