This story appears in the 2025 Advisor, a publication sponsored by Colliers Utah.
With increasing discussions of advanced air mobility (AAM), Utah is beginning to hear new words and terms like “air taxis,” “low-level aircraft” and “eVTOL.” One word that’s surfacing with increasing regularity is “vertiport,” which refers to the designated spaces where electric air taxis carrying passengers or packages will vertically land and take off and where they’ll also be able to recharge.
Similar to heliports, vertiports come with a few updated bells and whistles. Since AAM vehicles run on electricity instead of fossil fuels, they require improved charging infrastructure. The first vertiports began operating in the United Kingdom two years ago, and according to 47G CEO Aaron Starks, plans are underway to create at least half a dozen in Utah within the next decade.
“Vineyard has put together the most advanced proposal — with a property site already determined — and is a frontrunner to having the first vertiport in Utah,” Starks says. “If all goes according to plans, which are still very much in progress, it should be built in time for the 2034 Winter Olympics. Locations for at least five or more statewide vertiports are expected to be in operation statewide by that same time, placing Utah among the top 10 percent of states in the country to have one or more operable vertiports.”
Smart infrastructure for future growth
Having vertiports placed strategically near freeways and mass transit points will not only allow commuters added convenience and efficiency with their choice of air travel, but also allow growth to happen vertically within the state, an alternative to urban sprawl. What’s more, the infrastructure associated with vertiports will be environmentally friendly.
“It won’t involve ripping up large amounts of earth, and it won’t increase the carbon footprint,” Starks says. “For a large-scale development like Vineyard, it’s an opportunity for that community to get behind a mass transportation system and new supply chain at a much more limited price, at a lower barrier to entry and quicker pace, too.”
If done right, Starks believes this new transportation system will bless Utahns for generations to come.
“Vineyard has put together the most advanced proposal — with a property site already determined — and is a frontrunner to having the first vertiport in Utah.”
— Aaron Starks
Though official timelines for development are not yet set, Vineyard Mayor Julie Fullmer says she’s been planning a vertiport in her city for a very long time to prepare appropriately for its future. She believes a carefully thought-out process will ultimately pay off, in part, in increased business.
“In multiple ways, [Vineyard is] a place of innovation and economic growth, and transportation always opens doors for additional business and industry. It’s an opportunity to connect people, businesses and industries across rural landscapes,” Fullmer says. “I believe that will enhance our economic growth and our ability to access not only the industry in our area but regionally, statewide and nationally — in a way that streamlines supply chains, enhances mobility and creates better access to jobs, education and healthcare. It will allow for incredibly efficient transportation, which we all need with the new growth coming into the state.”
Going vertical
While AAM will initially be able to utilize any of Utah’s existing airports, vertiports will allow travel to destinations Utahns have generally not been able to fly into as they populate throughout the state. Want to take an air taxi to shop downtown? No problem. Visiting from out of state and want to head straight to the top of the ski slopes? You’ll be able to do that, too.
According to Matt Maass, director of aeronautics with the Utah Department of Transportation, vertiports are similar to airport extensions. His division registers aircraft within the state, including uncrewed aerial systems — everything from small drones to larger aerial vehicles that will eventually carry passengers.
Air taxis won’t replace the need for automobiles; instead, they will enhance the traveling options currently offered, Maass says. The hope is that they’ll be as affordable and convenient as ordering an Uber or Lyft one day. And because they are solely electric vehicles, Maass hopes they’ll be an added tool in the tool chest to help relieve traffic congestion.
“I like to compare where we are with AAM today with where we were with conventional takeoff and landing aircraft in the 1920s,” he continues. “People looked at flying as a novelty back then. When Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic, people started to see air travel for the possibility that it could become. We’re set to have another Charles Lindbergh moment in the next few years that will help the public realize what a benefit [AAM] technology will be.”
The future is now
After the state’s successful air taxi simulation earlier this year and Gov. Spencer Cox’s promised $1.9 million in funding in his 2025 fiscal budget, it is important to note that vertiports — and AAM as a whole — are far more than wished-for possibilities for better local travel in the coming years. It’s not a matter of “if” it will happen but “when.”
Brandon Fugal, chairman of Colliers Utah, believes package delivery and air taxi resources will help Vineyard and other local communities experience a higher quality of life. He also believes this dynamic transportation system will provide connectivity, seamless delivery and transportation — and it may alleviate some congestion on our main transportation arterials, too.
“Utah has a bright future ahead as a leader in enabling AAM and transport like no other market has,” Fugal continues. “The fact that we already have collaboration between the public and private sectors — establishing the infrastructure and regulatory framework — is an example of what put the state on the map in years past. It’s evidence that Utah will continue to lead the way.”