Joby Aviation has announced it will integrate Blade’s air mobility services into the Uber app from 2026, following its acquisition of Blade’s passenger business in August. The move brings Blade’s Monaco and Riviera operations – including the high-traffic Nice-Monaco route – closer to a new, electric future under Joby’s leadership, and marks a major step in Joby and Uber’s long-term urban air mobility partnership.
In August 2025, California-based aviation company Joby completed its acquisition of Blade’s global passenger business, which includes Blade Europe and its scheduled services in New York, Los Angeles, and the South of France. The deal gives Joby immediate access to Blade’s extensive infrastructure and more than a decade of operational experience in short-haul vertical air mobility.
This acquisition also places Joby in control of the air mobility network that Blade has built in the Principality, stemming from its 2022 purchase of Monacair’s commercial passenger operations. That earlier deal made Blade the exclusive provider of scheduled helicopter transfers between Monaco and Nice, a critical corridor for business and leisure travellers in the region.
Blade’s Monacair link strengthens Monaco’s role
Monacair, founded by Stefano Casiraghi and long associated with the Princely Family, became a central part of Blade’s European ambitions when the American company took over its passenger-facing operations in 2022. Blade retained the Monaco branding, but took over responsibility for marketing, booking, and customer experience, while flight operations remained under Monacair’s control.
The addition of Blade’s Monaco routes to the Uber app is expected to simplify how passengers book helicopter transfers in and out of the Principality, particularly for those already using Uber for ground transportation.
Uber app to feature Blade flights in 2026
Joby and Uber confirmed that Blade’s services – including those in the French Riviera – will be available to book via the Uber app from next year. The move is part of a wider strategy to build customer familiarity with air mobility options ahead of the launch of Joby’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in key markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and the UAE.
JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby, said the integration would bring “the magic of seamless urban air travel” to Uber customers around the world, while laying the groundwork for the introduction of quiet, zero-emissions aircraft in the years ahead.
Andrew Macdonald, President and COO of Uber, added that advanced air mobility would “deliver safe, quiet, and sustainable transportation to cities around the world” through the combined scale and expertise of Joby and Blade.
A new chapter for Monaco’s air connections
Monaco’s close proximity to Nice Airport and its status as a hub for luxury and executive travel have made the helicopter link between the two cities one of Europe’s busiest. With the Blade brand now under Joby’s leadership, and bookings soon available via Uber, Monaco’s key air route is once again at the forefront of innovation.
Longer-term, the partnership could lead to the eventual deployment of all-electric air taxis on the route, aligning with the Principality’s environmental goals and commitment to future-focused mobility solutions.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
AI generated photo of Uber helicopter flying over Monaco created by Cassandra Tanti, photo of Monaco by Cassandra Tanti