The DXV site features two take-off and landing pads. Ahmed Ramzan / The NationalInfoSite near Dubai International Airport will serve up to 170,000 passengers when fully operationalThe NationalJuly 07, 2026Dubai is one step closer to establishing commercial air taxi services after the world’s first vertiport received regulatory certification.DXV, near Dubai International airport, will be the central node of the emirate's planned air taxi network, and is expected to serve up to 170,000 passengers a year when operations commence. It is expected that air taxi services will be launched in Dubai before the end of the year as the emirate seeks to be at the heart of a public transport revolution.The 3,100 square-metre vertiport, which features two take-off and landing pads, has received approval from the General Civil Aviation Authority and Skyports Infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL).A second site is under construction at Dubai Marina, while work is under way at bases at Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah, in collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority.Play01:26Ready for take-off: Inside Dubai's flying taxis vertiportThe certification follows a comprehensive assessment of the vertiport’s infrastructure, operational procedures, safety management arrangements, emergency preparedness and regulatory compliance.Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the GCAA, said the certification was a historic achievement and a “defining moment for the future of aviation”.“It reflects the vision of our leadership, the maturity of our regulatory system and our national capability to enable innovation while maintaining the highest levels of safety,” he said. “The UAE is not only preparing for the future of aviation; it is actively shaping it and establishing new international benchmarks for advanced air mobility.”Aqeel Al Zarouni, assistant director general of the Aviation Safety Affairs Sector at the GCAA, said the certification demonstrated the UAE’s place at the forefront of aviation technology. “This achievement reflects the GCAA’s commitment to enabling innovation through proactive regulation, rigorous certification processes and close collaboration with industry partners,” he said. Ambitions take flightThe UAE has been accelerating efforts to launch flying taxi services nationwide.In November, Abu Dhabi unveiled plans to build a network of 10 vertiports as infrastructure for air taxi and eVTOL services.Zayed International Airport and Al Bateen Executive Airport have been confirmed as key links on the network, with additional sites and intercity routes to be unveiled at a later date, Abu Dhabi Investment Office has said.Updated: July 07, 2026, 2:46 PM