My opinion, the problem with flight is that it's far less efficient than ground travel, all else being equal. You expend energy staying aloft that tires do for free. I don't foresee flight as being common for every-day and short-range travel until energy becomes significantly cheaper.
And you bring up a good point about batteries. There ARE battery powered airplanes already, but they have relatively small payloads and short range.
https://newatlas.com/electric-aircra...stralia/52846/
Quote:
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A single charge can reportedly keep the plane in the air for up to one hour, with 30 minutes of extra power in reserve.
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Although the article is very optimistic (and it's quite an achievement to have a working electric plane at all), it's important to note that this airplane cruises at less than 100mph, with A 100 mile range in perfect conditions. The interior volume is limited to two cramped passengers and zero cargo.
On the flip side, operation costs are lower and it's probably a lot more reliable/safe.