Heading to Crypto.com Arena for a Lakers or Kings game might not mean sitting in traffic on the 110 for much longer — AEG and electric air taxi company Archer Aviation have announced a multi-year partnership to build downtown LA's first "vertiport," a dedicated takeoff and landing hub for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, at the L.A. Live sports and entertainment complex.
Archer's Midnight aircraft can carry four passengers at speeds up to 150 mph, and the company says it's quieter than traditional helicopters with zero operating emissions. The use case the partnership is pitching is pretty specific: a trip that could take two hours to drive in traffic could instead be a 10-to-20-minute point-to-point flight aboard the Midnight.
According to both companies, AEG and Archer have already completed an initial feasibility study for the vertiport, covering land use, airspace review, power supply and community impact assessments. The project is now moving into a second phase focused on how the vertiport would actually operate and what the passenger experience would look like. The exact location within the L.A. Live complex has not yet been finalized.
The deal, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, names Archer as the exclusive air taxi partner for L.A. Live. Nick Baker, President and COO of AEG Global Partnerships, said in a statement, "We're excited to work with Archer on this initiative to enhance the experience for fans around the major sports and live entertainment events we host." He described it as a partnership that "brings together infrastructure and technology to serve fans, visitors and the surrounding community."
Besides Crypto.com Arena, the L.A. Live complex includes the Peacock Theater, The Novo, a Regal multiplex, the Grammy Museum, and a mix of restaurants and bars, with the LA Convention Center located nearby. Archer is also the official air taxi provider for the 2028 LA Olympics and Team USA, and downtown LA is set to be a central hub for 18 Olympic and Paralympic events.
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said, "We see this as a unique opportunity to add a flagship downtown location to LA's air taxi network ahead of the LA28 Games. Partnering with AEG on this landmark vertiport at L.A. Live lets us keep building the infrastructure Southern California needs for the next phase of all-electric flight."
Other stops planned for Archer's LA route network include SoFi Stadium, USC, LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, and select locations in Santa Monica and Orange County, with the recently acquired Hawthorne Airport serving as the overall operations hub. A Midnight air taxi is currently on display at L.A. Live through Tuesday. Details on the vertiport's exact location, launch timeline and pricing have not yet been announced.
