Understanding consumer preferences for Urban Air Mobility: A choice-based conjoint analysis approach with the case of South Korea

The emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as a transformative mode of transportation is driven by the convergence of advanced information technologies, including automation and autonomous flight systems, with innovative aerial vehicle designs. Positioned as a key component of future smart and interconnected urban mobility ecosystems, UAM has attracted growing attention from both industry and policymakers. This study examines consumer preferences for UAM in South Korea using a choice-based conjoint analysis. The analysis quantifies the relative importance of key service attributes—transit time, price, operating speed, autonomy, waiting time, seat width, and luggage weight—in influencing potential adoption. The results show that transit time is the most influential attribute shaping consumer preferences, followed by price, operating speed, and autonomy. Secondary factors such as waiting time, seat width, and luggage weight also contribute to perceived service quality and convenience. These findings provide actionable insights for UAM service providers and policymakers, highlighting the need to balance efficiency, affordability, and technological advancement to foster consumer acceptance and sustainable market integration. Future research should validate these findings across different cultural and urban contexts to assess the generalisability of consumer preference structures.