Archer Aviation

Archer Midnight

VS
Lilium

Lilium Jet

Archer Midnight vs Lilium Jet: Complete eVTOL Comparison 2026

Compare Aircraft / Archer Midnight vs Lilium Jet

Quick Verdict

This comparison is largely retrospective: Lilium permanently ceased operations in February 2025 after a second insolvency filing. The Lilium Jet — a 6-passenger ducted electric vectored-thrust aircraft with a planned 150-mile range — is no longer a buyable or fly-able product. Archer's Midnight, by contrast, is an FAA-certifying Lift+Cruise eVTOL on track for late-2026 US launch with United Airlines, Stellantis, and the LA 2028 Olympics behind it. For passengers and investors evaluating eVTOL options today, Archer is the live competitor; Lilium is preserved here as a reference point on what the higher-capacity, longer-range ducted approach was attempting before the company's collapse.

Side-by-Side Specifications

Company
Archer Midnight
Archer Aviation
Lilium Jet
Lilium
Configuration
Archer Midnight
Lift+Cruise
Lilium Jet
Ducted Electric Vectored Thrust
Passengers
Archer Midnight
4 + pilot
Lilium Jet
6 + pilot (planned)
Max Speed
Archer Midnight
150 mph
Lilium Jet
175 mph
Range
Archer Midnight
100 miles
Lilium Jet
150 miles
Cruise Altitude
Archer Midnight
1,500–4,000 ft
Lilium Jet
10,000+ ft
Noise Level
Archer Midnight
Sub-45 dB
Lilium Jet
~60 dB at 100m (projected)
Certification
Archer Midnight
FAA certification in progress
Lilium Jet
Operations ceased; EASA program halted
Expected Service
Archer Midnight
Late 2026
Lilium Jet
Discontinued (Feb 2025 insolvency)
Ticket Price
Archer Midnight
$50–$150
Lilium Jet
N/A — program discontinued
Key Partners
Archer Midnight
United Airlines, Stellantis, LA 2028 Olympics
Lilium Jet
Historic: Lufthansa, NetJets, Saudia (pre-shutdown)

Where Each Excels

Archer Midnight

Still in business and certifying
Archer is in active FAA certification and on track for commercial US launch in late 2026. Lilium ceased operations in February 2025 and is no longer producing aircraft.
United Airlines distribution
Deep integration with United Airlines provides direct access to millions of airline passengers — distribution Lilium was still building when it went under.
LA 2028 Olympics platform
As the official air mobility provider for the LA 2028 Olympics, Archer gets a global proving ground at scale that Lilium will not get.
Lift+Cruise simplicity vs ducted complexity
Archer's six-rotor lift plus separate cruise propellers is mechanically simpler than Lilium's 30-engine ducted vectored-thrust approach — easier to certify, easier to maintain, lower energy cost in cruise.

Lilium Jet

Higher passenger capacity (planned)
The Lilium Jet was designed for 6 passengers vs Archer's 4 — better economics per flight on routes with consistent demand. Note: the aircraft never reached commercial service.
Longer range (planned)
150-mile range was 50% longer than Archer's 100-mile capability, opening regional pairs. Again, never validated in commercial service.
Higher cruise altitude
Lilium's ducted jet design targeted 10,000+ ft cruise, well above the typical 1,500–4,000 ft eVTOL band, opening more efficient cruise but at the cost of more complex airspace integration.
Pre-shutdown airline partners
Lilium had announced partnerships with Lufthansa, NetJets, and Saudia — strong pedigree that demonstrates the design appealed to operators before the funding shortfall ended the company.

Best For Each Use Case

Booking a flight in 2026–2027
Archer Midnight
Lilium is no longer operating. Archer is the only one of the two with a path to revenue service.
Investor exposure
Archer Midnight
Lilium's equity was wiped out in the 2025 insolvency. Archer (NYSE: ACHR) remains a publicly traded eVTOL pure-play.
Higher-capacity regional trips (planned)
Lilium Jet
On paper, the 6-passenger 150-mile design beat Archer's 4-passenger 100-mile spec — but the aircraft never reached commercial service.
Airline-integrated airport transfers
Archer Midnight
United Airlines partnership and US airport network give Archer a clear distribution edge that Lilium did not realize before shutdown.

About the Manufacturers

Archer Aviation

AircraftArcher Midnight
ConfigurationLift+Cruise
StatusFAA certification in progress
PartnersUnited Airlines, Stellantis, LA 2028 Olympics
Learn more about Archer Aviation

Lilium

AircraftLilium Jet
ConfigurationDucted Electric Vectored Thrust
StatusOperations ceased; EASA program halted
PartnersHistoric: Lufthansa, NetJets, Saudia (pre-shutdown)
Learn more about Lilium

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still book a Lilium Jet flight?
No. Lilium permanently ceased operations in February 2025 after filing for insolvency twice. A rescue deal with Mobile Uplift Corporation (MUC) valued at approximately €210M fell through when funding did not materialize. The company raised over $1.4B and reached a peak valuation of $3.3B but never delivered a commercial aircraft. The Lilium Jet was never type-certified and is not in passenger service.
What happened to Lilium and could the program restart?
Lilium's challenge was the cost-to-certification ratio of its ducted electric vectored-thrust design. The 30-engine architecture was elegant aerodynamically but expensive to develop and certify. The company's IP and assets remain available for potential acquisition, so a restart is theoretically possible, but no buyer has stepped forward as of 2026. For now, Lilium serves as a cautionary case study in eVTOL capital intensity.
Is Archer Midnight a safer bet than Lilium was?
Archer's mechanical and financial profile is meaningfully different. The Midnight uses a Lift+Cruise architecture with 12 fixed rotors — six for vertical lift, six for cruise — which is mechanically simpler than Lilium's 30 ducted engines. Archer also has stronger commercial backing through United Airlines, Stellantis manufacturing, and the LA 2028 Olympics contract. Combined with a more disciplined burn rate, Archer is a more durable program than Lilium's was.
Were Archer Midnight and Lilium Jet really competitors?
Indirectly. They targeted overlapping use cases — airport transfers and regional routes — but with very different aircraft. Archer optimized for a 4-passenger short-range US urban market with airline distribution. Lilium aimed at 6-passenger regional trips up to 150 miles in Europe and the Middle East. The market never resolved which approach won because Lilium did not survive long enough to compete commercially.

Related Reading

Blog post
eVTOL Industry Shakeout 2025: Who Survived
Blog post
Archer + United Airlines: LA 2028 Olympics Route Network
Blog post
Archer Aviation: FAA Means of Compliance, Abu Dhabi Q3 2026

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