UPWIN Air Taxi Ride Share Could Reach Las Vegas in 2026

Real estate developer and pilot Rob Lauer has envisioned a unique solution to the traffic jam problem in Las Vegas. 

Namely, Lauer, who has been a pilot since he was 17 years old and served as a U.S. Army Military Policeman between 2005–2009, believes rideshare helicopters can answer the need to “move thousands of people around town day and night while flying over the traffic,” as he explained in an interview for Casino.org.

UPWIN Air Taxi Ride Share at $30/Seat

The USC graduate’s proposed service, UPWIN Air Taxi Ride Share, aims to repurpose traditional sightseeing helicopters for quick urban commutes. 

With fares starting as low as $30 per seat, passengers could be whisked across Las Vegas in mere minutes.

UPWIN flights would operate along designated “sky highways” at approximately 500 feet above ground, lower than standard sightseeing helicopters. 

Passengers would board Robinson R44 single-engine helicopters, each seating three to four people.

To manage air traffic safely and efficiently, Lauer plans to integrate military-grade AI technology, which will predict and regulate flight patterns using a network of remote sensors.

“If you take a helicopter to Summerlin, they will be able to predict that there will be an open spot to land there,” Lauer explained. “The last thing we want are traffic jams in the air. That’s the very thing we’re trying to avoid!”

Bold Plans for Sin City

Lauer is no stranger to ambitious aviation projects. He’s also spearheading the Las Vegas Spaceport, a private initiative to send civilians on recreational spaceflights for $125,000 per seat. 

The real estate developer who was trying to raise $310 million to build a private spaceport in Clark County in June 2023 has not given up on his future goal. In the meantime, his helicopter rideshare service could see the light of day by the end of next year.

The idea for UPWIN arose when Lauer considered how to efficiently transport tourists from the Strip to his planned spaceport, located 50 miles southwest of Las Vegas near Pahrump. 

Now, he envisions a broader network serving the entire city.

Lauer has already secured land for four landing pads near Allegiant Stadium at 3625 W. Russell Road. 

Currently, he is working on obtaining 12 additional landing sites, including locations along the Strip, downtown, and in suburban areas like Summerlin and Henderson.

Rideshare Model with Low Costs 

Lauer believes that a rideshare model will keep costs low.

“If you’re flying from Red Rock to Fremont Street, that’s a five-minute flight. And if you’re sharing it with three or four other people, we can do potentially eight flights in an hour,” he explained. 

“When you take an Uber, you’re on a 30-minute ride stuck in traffic.”, he added.

UPWIN could also serve as a medical air ambulance service, offering rapid transport to hospitals in emergencies.

Before launching, each landing site must receive FAA approval for helicopter operations. If successful, Las Vegas could soon see a new era of high-speed, low-cost urban air travel.