THE BLOG

The Lilium Jet on the Côte d’Azur in 2026

Lilium, UrbanV and the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur form an innovative partnership to create a network of vertiports on the Côte d’Azur, the first region in Europe to develop regional air mobility
The Lilium network will connect Monaco, Nice, Sophia Antipolis, Cannes, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille
Lilium offers its jet to operators with flights planned from 2026, thus enabling fully electric, low-noise air transport in a region that attracts 11 million tourists each year

Lilium N.V. (NASDAQ: LILM), which is developing the first fully electric vertical take-off and landing jet (eVTOL) and is a global pioneer in regional air mobility (RAM), UrbanV, the Italian operator of vertiport networks, and Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur (ACA), the manager of Nice Côte d’Azur airport, the second airport in France, as well as Cannes Mandelieu and Golfe de Saint-Tropez airports, today announced plans to launch Lilium Jet flights on the Côte d’Azur from 2026. A new network will connect the Côte d’Azur to key destinations in southern France, including Monaco, Nice, Cannes, Golfe de Saint-Tropez, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.

Lilium is partnering with the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and UrbanV to form a partnership aimed at developing a large part of this network based on a strong local ecosystem in southern France. As the first partnership of its kind in the region, this collaboration aims to establish and operate eVTOLs between a network of vertiports including Nice Côte d’Azur airport — the second airport in France transporting more than 14 million travelers per year — as well as Cannes Mandelieu airport, Golfe de Saint-Tropez airport and other locations under consideration.

In addition, Lilium is currently in discussions with other local partners for the creation of additional vertiports in Sophia Antipolis, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, discussions which are expected to be concluded before the end of the year.

Lilium is also in talks with several operators interested in purchasing the Lilium Jet and operating the network to offer a sustainable experience and significant time savings to their passengers. The Côte d’Azur, known worldwide as the French Riviera, combines some of the most attractive vacation and business event destinations in the world on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern France. The Côte d’Azur is a major transportation hub, attracting more than 11 million tourists each year.

Environmental sustainability is at the heart of the Côte d’Azur region, with the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur committed to achieving carbon neutrality without offsetting their own emissions by 2030. With its VTOL capabilities, low noise and zero emissions, the Lilium Jet will be the optimal regional transport mode to help achieve this goal. UrbanV’s vertiports will support this commitment by developing sustainable ground infrastructure for eVTOLs to ensure safe and smooth operations while offering a pleasant passenger experience through its innovative technologies and efficient operations. Once in service, the regional network will connect popular destinations with fast, safe and sustainable travel, enabling passengers to reach their destination in a fraction of the time normally required by car.

According to Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur : “This collaboration with Lilium, as well as our subsidiary UrbanV, marks an important step in the transformation and decarbonization of regional air mobility. Our territory offers a unique opportunity to fly over the sea to directly connect the main economic, cultural or tourist destinations. An alternative complement to the helicopter, the eVTOL has its place in the air transport offer from Nice Côte d’Azur, laboratory of the airport of tomorrow, second platform in France and gateway and exit of an enclaved territory.”

Carlo Tursi, CEO of UrbanV,, said: “At UrbanV, we aim to improve people’s lives by offering a fast, efficient, safe and clean alternative to existing transport solutions for people and goods over short distances by air. We have the ambition to become a major operator of vertiport networks on a global scale and we will be global pioneers in establishing some of the first advanced air mobility (AAM) routes in the world. We are delighted to partner with Lilium and the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, two global leaders in their respective fields, and we look forward to exploring with them the great potential for introducing advanced air mobility on the Côte d’Azur.”

Sebastien Borel, Commercial Director of Lilium, said : “As a truly European company based in Munich, Germany, with flight tests in Spain and growing roots in France, Lilium is extremely proud to be able to contribute to the creation of the first regional eVTOL network in southern France and the first commercially viable network in the EU. We see enormous potential in this region and we look forward to seeing our Lilium Jet flying there soon.”