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UrbanLink has ordered 20 Lilium Jets, with an option for 20 more.
While air taxi frontrunners Joby and Archer plan to operate their own airlines in the U.S., a small handful of operators are eager to get in on the action as soon as possible.
Among them is UrbanLink Air Mobility, a South Florida-based advanced air mobility (AAM) airline founded by Ed Wegel, an airline entrepreneur who previously founded the revamped Eastern Airlines in 2014, as well as charter and cargo operator GlobalX in 2018.
Founded earlier this year, UrbanLink has already placed orders for numerous all-electric aircraft including electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) air taxis from Lilium and Spanish startup Crisalion; fixed-wing cargo drones from Traverse Aero; electric airplanes from Eviation; and electric seagliders from Regent. Additionally, Wegel says the company has secured orders from another “major” eVTOL OEM in the U.S., although he did not disclose which company.
With a goal of being an early mover in the U.S., Wegel says UrbanLink is hedging its bets by placing orders for a diverse array of AAM aircraft, reasoning that some of those companies may not survive amid heavy competition and a challenging fundraising environment. He also says that spreading orders among multiple OEMs will help ensure sufficient early delivery slots so the airline can achieve scale sooner than its competitors.
“In the event Lilium cannot deliver aircraft to us, we need to ensure two things,” Wegel says. “One, that we’ve got order positions with eVTOL manufacturers that will mitigate any risk of certification or delivery delays. Secondly, we also need enough aircraft to be delivered to us so that we can get to scale as quickly as we can.”
UrbanLink currently anticipates its first deliveries of the Lilium Jet around mid-2026. Despite Lilium’s recent insolvency filing, Wegel says he is confident that the company will eventually attract a “deep-pocketed” investor in Asia, the Middle East, or even the U.S. “We don’t know what that will mean for the timing of deliveries, but they have very strong engineering and management teams, so we continue to expect those aircraft will eventually be delivered,” he says.
The various aircraft types in UrbanLink’s fleet will be operated for different mission sets. Lilium Jets, for example, will mainly be used for corporate and VIP travel and emergency medical services. Cargo drones from Traverse Aero will be used for last-mile cargo deliveries, government services and, potentially, to augment passenger services by carrying luggage that would not fit in an eVTOL. Regent’s seagliders will be used in South Florida as an intermodal solution in combination with eVTOLs and other modes of transport. Eviation’s nine-passenger planes will be used for intercity and regional transport.
Wegel emphasizes that UrbanLink has no intention of operating urban air mobility services. “We’re not looking to do 10-to-15-min. flights, which we think are more difficult in terms of revenue and profitability,” he says.
Before it can launch service, UrbanLink needs to certify its Part 135 airline with the FAA. Wegel says there are two possible paths. The company can acquire another carrier with an existing Part 135 certificate, or it can begin flying conventional aircraft, write its own manuals and establish its airline from scratch. He said he expects to receive a Part 135 certificate in 2025.
UrbanLink has partnered with Skyway to build out a network of vertiports in South Florida, a process that Wegel expects to be gradual, with one or two dedicated vertiports operational at launch. The company has also partnered with a prominent fixed-base operator (FBO) chain in South Florida, although Wegel says he is not able to disclose specifics yet.
“The FBOs will be where we start,” he says. “The lead time for vertiports is longer because you need government approvals, community approvals and many other things required before construction can start.”
Wegel declined to disclose how much cash has been raised to date, although he says UrbanLink has raised enough to complete certification and get its first aircraft flying. He also says the company will stand up an aircraft leasing business next year to finance UrbanLink’s aircraft, as well as orders from third-party operators.
Additionally, Wegel says that UrbanLink has partnered with a “major” maintenance organization in the U.S. to provide MRO services for its fleet.
“We’re working with all of our stakeholders to make sure we cover all the bases so that we can launch this airline in 18 months and be one of the first to reach scale,” he says.
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