Flying cars aren’t science fiction anymore. Companies like Alef Aeronautics are taking orders for vehicles that drive on roads and fly through the air. But the technology comes with eye-watering costs that make luxury cars look downright affordable.
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Here’s what it actually costs to own and operate a flying car in 2025.
Purchase Price: $170,000 to $1 Million+
Entry-level flying cars like the Samson Switchable cost approximately $170,000. More premium dual-mode vehicles that transition between road and flight run $500,000 to over $1 million. The two-seat AirCar is estimated between $500,000 and $1.1 million.
A UK analysis put the general purchase price of a flying car at roughly £495,421 (about $630,000) before licensing and extras. Compare that to a $35,000 sedan or even a $100,000 luxury car, and flying cars exist in a completely different financial category.
These prices reflect early-adopter technology before mass production brings costs down. Some have suggested that prices might drop to $150,000 to $250,000 as production scales, but that’s years away.
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Licensing and Training: $35,000
You can’t just buy a flying car and take off. Pilot licensing and training costs around $35,000 based on UK scenario estimates. That’s the equivalent of buying another new car just to learn how to operate your flying car.
This training requirement makes sense; you’re piloting an aircraft, not just driving. But it adds substantial upfront costs beyond the vehicle purchase price.
Annual Operating Costs: $30,000+
Flying cars carry massive annual operating expenses that dwarf regular vehicles.
Insurance runs approximately $17,000 annually, according to UK estimates. That’s more than many people spend on an entire year of car payments.
Storage and parking cost about $13,000 per year. Flying cars need specialized facilities, not just garage space or street parking.
Fuel and energy costs vary widely depending on usage. One UK study estimated just $800 annually, but that assumes minimal flying. More realistic usage would push fuel costs significantly higher.
Maintenance costs for eVTOL-type aircraft remain uncertain, as few vehicles are in regular service. While electric propulsion may reduce some mechanical maintenance, things like battery replacement, specialized inspections and dual certification will no doubt cost a mint. Total operating costs have been modeled at roughly $2.97 per passenger seat mile in early projections for high-utilization urban air mobility vehicles, but this figure includes acquisition and operating costs, not maintenance alone.
Cost Per Mile
Studies of electric aircraft feasibility found operating costs ranging from 25 cents to 75 cents per mile for flying, though this excludes fixed costs like insurance and storage. As some costs are still unclear, like maintenance, the cost per mile could be much higher. One report puts the cost per mile at $3.50.
How Costs Might Drop Over Time
Flying car costs should decrease as technology matures and production scales.
Current data shows that the purchase price of flying cars (or road air systems) is already around $200,000 in some cases. Operating costs for early eVTOL/air-taxi models are projected today in the range of $2.25 to $11 per passenger mile, although it’s important to note that those reflect high utilization fleet models rather than personal ownership.
Some analysts believe that as technology matures and scale improves, per-passenger costs could drop to $1.50+ per mile in urban air-mobility scenarios.
Electric aircraft studies show much lower energy costs than conventional aircraft, about $8 to $12 for a 100-mile flight versus $400 for conventional planes. As flying cars adopt electric propulsion, energy costs should drop from current estimates.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much It Costs To Drive a Flying Car (Yes, They’re Real Now)
