Blade, a division of Joby Aviation, has begun a weekday commuter pilot that connects Manhattan’s West 33rd Street terminal with Westchester County Airport. The service, which starts on December 1, offers a 12‑minute flight that cuts travel time from the typical 90‑minute drive to a quarter of that duration. Seats are priced between $125 and $225, and a Blade Commuter Pass—available for $250 a week, $1,000 a month, or $10,000 a year—provides discounted single‑flight fares.
The launch follows Joby’s August 2025 acquisition of Blade’s passenger business, a deal that added an established network of terminals, a loyal customer base, and 40,000 passenger‑days of operational data to Joby’s portfolio. The acquisition is reflected in Q3 2025 revenue, which rose to $23 million—an extraordinary beat over the $0.02 million consensus estimate—largely driven by the Blade segment’s contribution. The revenue surge demonstrates the immediate commercial value of the acquisition, while the earnings miss of $0.48 per share versus the $0.18 estimate highlights the heavy investment in research, development, and certification that is still required to bring Joby’s eVTOL aircraft to market.
Joby’s Q3 earnings report also revealed that the company’s cash position strengthened to $978.1 million, but operating expenses climbed, driven by increased R&D and SG&A costs associated with scaling the Blade operations and advancing the eVTOL certification program. The revenue beat was largely attributable to the Blade passenger business, which generated $23 million in the quarter, while the EPS miss reflects the cost intensity of early‑stage commercial aviation and the capital‑heavy nature of the eVTOL development.
Following the earnings release, the market reacted positively, with the stock rising over 5% in aftermarket trading. Analysts cited the robust revenue performance—particularly the $23 million contribution from Blade—as a key driver of the upside, while the EPS miss was tempered by the company’s forward‑looking guidance and the strategic importance of the Blade acquisition.
Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade, emphasized that the new service meets a clear demand for rapid, reliable travel between the Greater New York City suburbs and Manhattan. “With the return of five‑day work weeks and traffic between the Greater New York City Suburbs and Manhattan now exceeding pre‑pandemic levels, it was time for Blade to service this demand,” he said. Joby’s founder and CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, noted that the Blade acquisition “transported approximately 40,000 passengers during the quarter, replacing two‑and‑half hour drives with 12‑minute flights,” underscoring the operational impact of the deal.
The commuter program is a stepping stone toward Joby’s broader eVTOL strategy. Once FAA type certification is achieved, the company plans to transition from helicopters to its quiet, zero‑emission eVTOL aircraft, expanding service to additional markets, including a planned commercial launch in Dubai in 2026. The Blade launch therefore not only provides immediate revenue and data but also accelerates Joby’s path to a global urban air mobility network.
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