Phoenix Sky Harbor Becomes 1st Airport To Offer Self-Driving Car Service

The new service comes months before the Valley of the Sun will host Super Bowl LVII.


Photo: City of Phoenix

Travelers who frequent Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Sky Harbor) now have a new way of getting to and from the airport. On Friday, the City of Phoenix’s Aviation Department announced Sky Harbor, dubbed America’s Friendliest Airport, launched a self-driving vehicle service to the general public.

The airport has partnered with Waymo, an American autonomous driving technology company, to offer the service. Sky Harbor is reportedly the first airport in the world to provide travelers with the ability to take a self-driving vehicle as a means of transportation.

A global milestone

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego officially launched the service by arriving at Sky Harbor’s 44th Street and Washington PHX Sky Train station in a Waymo vehicle.

“Phoenix is leading the future of mobility and modernizing how the world will experience travel. The exciting technology offers our customers an additional option for traveling to the airport in a clean, sustainable, and technologically advanced mode of transportation. The future has arrived in Phoenix!”

According to the airport, the service comes two years after Waymo opened its fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service, Waymo One, to the public in the East Valley of Phoenix, building on the company’s strong partnership with the City of Phoenix. Rides are available 24 hours, seven days a week, in Waymo’s fully electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicle.

“Phoenix has had major milestones this week in electric vehicles, including electrifying and going towards zero tailpipe emissions with our bus fleet, and this is just a further continuance of our commitment to sustainability,” Gallego said. “We’re glad to be an innovative city, taking some risks but hopefully delivering a better airport experience for our customers."

The service, which will take passengers to and from the downtown area of Phoenix, will pick up and drop off travelers at only one location, the 44th Street PHX Sky Train Station. From there, travelers can take the PHX Sky Train directly to the terminals, with trains arriving and departing every few minutes.

The perfect time

The launch of the service is appropriately timed, according to Gallego.

“It comes at an exciting time when we’re about to host Fiesta Bowl and Super Bowl LVII,” said Gallego. "So we’ll be the first Super Bowl host committee where you can come to the Sky Train and take a Waymo to the downtown events for Super Bowl.”

Michelle Peacock, Waymo’s Head of Global Policy and Government Relations, spoke about the company’s partnership.

“Phoenix is the fastest growing city in the nation and home to the world’s friendliest airport and so it’s only natural that we work together to make Sky Harbor the first place to offer fully autonomous rides to travelers.”

Expanding self-driving service

Waymo also announced increasing its Waymo One service around Downtown Phoenix.

“We are more than doubling our downtown service territory to provide fully autonomous public rides to all of Downtown Phoenix,” Peacock said. “We are confident that combining the first of its kind airport service and expanded downtown territory; this is greatly going to enhance Phoenicians’ daily access to transportation, providing them far more options and a great boost to the city’s thriving tourism industry.”

In preparation for the new self-driving service, Waymo began testing autonomous rides in early November with tester participants and vehicles equipped with an autonomous specialist. After successful testing, the company removed the autonomous specialist from the car, allowing anyone to hail a Waymo to ride.

Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the US. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines carry the most passengers at Sky Harbor annually, but other competitors, such as ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines, have expanded their operations recently.