Houston may soon join Texas’s new air taxi network after the USDOT and FAA picked the state to test eVTOL flights connecting Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

HOUSTON — Texas is getting ready to leap into the future of flight. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and FAA have selected the state for one of eight new Advanced Air Mobility Pilot Programs — a first‑of‑its‑kind national effort to test and safely integrate next‑generation aircraft called eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft).

Under the partnership, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will work with major industry names, including Archer, BETA, Joby, and Wisk, to develop regional air taxi networks connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and, eventually, Houston.

These futuristic aircraft—part drone, part jet—are designed to shorten inter‑city trips from hours to minutes, easing highway congestion and opening new transportation options for commuters and businesses. For Houston, that could mean faster regional links to nearby major markets and an early seat at the table for emerging urban air mobility infrastructure.

The USDOT says the data gathered from these pilot projects will help shape national safety regulations and accelerate the rollout of real-world eVTOL operations, which could begin as soon as summer 2026.

The @USDOT and @SecDuffy have announced that Texas has been selected for one of eight new Advanced Air Mobility Pilot Programs.

Working with industry leaders, @TXDOT will develop air taxi flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston. https://t.co/X0IKVDX4hx

— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovAbbottPress) March 10, 2026

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy called the selections “a window into the future of aviation,” praising the collaboration among federal, state and private partners. The initiative stems from President Trump’s Unleashing Drone Dominance executive order and aims to cement the United States’ leadership in aviation innovation.

For now, Houston residents can look forward to being part of the early chapter in a new form of travel — one that lifts off not from a runway, but from a vision of faster skyways crisscrossing Texas.

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