By Jeff Gifford

Honeywell Aerospace says a new survey it conducted shows the public is ready for the kind of air taxi service that the Phoenix-based operation has been working on for years.

The company this month said the survey of 1,000 airline passengers in the U.S. revealed that 98% were open to hopping into an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (an eVTOL, or air taxi) as part of their travel plans in the future.

Honeywell has been working on systems connected to eVTOL aircraft for the past several years. In 2022, it signed a deal with Archer Aviation Inc. to provide flight control actuation and thermal management technologies. The company also has worked with Japanese company Denso Corp. in support of an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing jet built by German company Lilium for use in urban centers — Honeywell has already been working with Lilium on cockpit technologies.

Experts have been saying that air taxis, classified as piloted advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, are just around the corner and may take many American cities by surprise when they are ready to be released into the market. They are poised to enter passenger service in select overseas locations before coming to the U.S., Honeywell said.

Particularly attractive to the travelers surveyed is the idea of using the air taxis as a way to get to and from an airport. The survey found that 79% of them would travel more often if air taxis could take them to the airport.

Time savings was the main factor in that enthusiasm. For instance, 47% liked the idea of avoiding traffic on the way to the airport. Another time-savings factor would be using the eVTOLs for travel between cities that are within 100 miles from each other — potentially turning a two- or three-hour trip into one that’s a fraction of that time.

"Anyone who travels regularly knows that the journey to and from the airport often adds unwelcome time, cost and hassle to the overall trip," said Dave Shilliday, vice president and general manager of Advanced Air Mobility at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. "Air taxis can offer a safe, fast and innovative alternative to traditional transport methods. Our research indicates significant appetite for such services already exists – but like any new technology, consumers need to feel confident about safety, cost and reliability. Air taxis may sound like science fiction to some, but we're not far from a time when they could become a regular part of travel."

Honeywell Aerospace to be split off from parent

Others like the idea of convenience and cost savings (61% for both factors). The novelty of the taxis attracted 44% of the respondents, and reducing environmental impact was also a motivator for 44% of them. And as might be expected, a concern for safety was registered by 65% of those surveyed.

Millennials and frequent air travelers proved to be the most interested in taking an air taxi. The survey found 67% of those who flew more than 10 times in the past year wanted to hop onto an air taxi, with business travelers being chief among them (65%). And for millennials, the interest was at 65%, compared to 58% of overall respondents.

Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace Technologies is currently a division of Honeywell International Inc. (Nasdaq: HON), but the parent company announced earlier this year that its aerospace business and its automation unit would be split off into separate publicly traded companies. That followed calls late last year from an activist investor to make the move.

Honeywell Aerospace — which said it will remain headquartered in Phoenix after the split, expected in the second half of 2026 — is Arizona's second-largest defense contractor, with just under 2,000 contracts in fiscal year 2024 valued at a total of $657.58 million, according to Business Journal research. With 7,124 employees in the state in 2023, Honeywell Aerospace ranked as Arizona's 23rd largest employer last year.

Final Thoughts:

Air taxis may have once seemed like a concept straight out of a sci-fi movie, but they’re quickly becoming a reality—and travelers are ready for takeoff. With 98% of surveyed airline passengers open to flying in an air taxi, it’s clear that convenience, speed, and innovation are driving demand. Whether it’s skipping traffic to the airport or cutting down travel time between nearby cities, this futuristic mode of transport could soon be a game-changer for frequent fliers, business travelers, and tech-savvy commuters. As Honeywell Aerospace leads the way in this revolution, the skies of tomorrow might look very different—and they’ll be closer than you think.