Waymo cleared for robotaxi rides at San Jose airport
Waymo has secured approval to serve its first airport in California, San Jose Mineta International, marking a major milestone in the company’s long-running push to integrate robotaxis into airport travel. The Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company announced Thursday that it will begin testing at the airport in the coming months, with plans to launch commercial rides by the end of the year.
The clearance follows years of back-and-forth with airport authorities in the state. In 2023, Waymo pursued operations at San Francisco International Airport but was rebuffed by officials. Earlier this year, however, the company was granted a permit to begin manually mapping the airport—a critical first step toward eventual service.
San Jose Mineta International will be Waymo’s second major airport hub. The company began offering curbside drop-off and pick-up at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport in late 2023, before expanding to 24/7 service in August 2024. Since then, Waymo reports that Sky Harbor has become its most popular destination in Phoenix, with “hundreds of thousands” of trips completed.
The San Jose launch comes amid a rapid nationwide expansion for Waymo. The company now operates more than 2,000 robotaxis across the U.S., including around 800 in the Bay Area, 500 in Los Angeles, 400 in Phoenix, 100 in Austin, and dozens in Atlanta. Earlier this week, Waymo announced plans to enter Denver and Seattle, and it has already revealed forthcoming operations in Dallas, Miami, and Washington, D.C. It also recently received approval to begin testing in New York City.
With the addition of San Jose Mineta International, Waymo is positioning itself as a key player in the future of airport ground transportation—long seen as one of the most lucrative and challenging environments for autonomous ride-hailing.
