The race is literally on to see who will be able to air the first supersonic commercial plane since the Concorde was disbanded in 2003 by British Airways and Air France. With the immense growth and evolution in flight technology, surely nobody thought that super-sonic flight was gone forever, did they?

This time, United Airlines and American Airways are all-in on the notion of supersonic passenger travel. Boom Supersonic is the latest aviation manufacturer to introduce a commercial airliner that will rival the speeds of most fighter jets.

The Fastest Commercial Plane: The Boom Supersonic Overture

While the plane is still a concept, the Overture has two of America’s hottest airlines on the line to lead supersonic commercial air travel into the future. Being able to seat up to 88 passengers and hurtle along at Mach 1.7, will make traveling across the Atlantic on business or social visits a pleasure. What’s more – all the amenities of a first-class flight will come with the Boom Supersonic Overture plane ticket.

Some Quick Facts About the New Boom Supersonic Overture Speedster

Specification	Details
Place of Production	Greensborough, North Carolina, USA
Eco-Friendly Stats	Net Zero aircraft that flies on 100% sustainable aviation fuel
Air Speed	They can travel at Mach 1.7 (2099 km/h)
Seating Capacity	60 to 80 passengers
Sale Price	Approx. $200 Million
Interested parties	United Airlines & American Airways
First Flight Schedule	2025
London to New York	3.5 hours
Los Angeles to Sydney	8 hours
Tokyo to Seattle	4.5 hours
Miami to London	5 hours

 

Production Timelines and More for This Fast Commercial Jet

American Airways is currently the largest airliner in the world. They have placed a deposit on 20 planes with the option of 40 more. As such, they should be the first US liner to pilot one of these crafts once they have been completed.

United Airlines have also piqued its interest in the supersonic jet. The competitive carrier is set to purchase an initial 15 Boom Supersonic Overture aircraft. Once the planes have passed their rigorous testing phase, it is likely that they will secure another 35 more craft by 2029, at the latest.

The opportunity to fly at supersonic speeds and cut standard air travel times in half will certainly appeal to the masses. While the old Concorde’s appeal eventually faded out, times have changed, and our lifestyles have become far more hurried than they were in the past.

While Concorde may have set the benchmark for speedy travel in the past, the new supersonic planes may have hit the nail on the head with their timing and re-introduction. We can tell this simply from the order volumes. There were only ever 20 Concorde built in total, and only 14 of them were ever used for commercial purposes. This time alone, the first two airliners to the sales table are looking at over 100 Overture craft, in total, on their own. There is no reason other international airlines won’t jump at the opportunity for their own fleet of Boom Supersonic Overture planes in the future either.

Here’s an expected Timeline on the Boom Supersonic Overture Passenger Planes

Features of the Boom Supersonic Overture vs the Concorde

The Concorde was certainly a faster plane that traveled at more than Mach 2. It used a huge amount of fuel and resulted in expensive maintenance costs. It was discontinued by Air France and British Airways due to a “downturn in demand” and “increasing maintenance costs.” Air tickets were hugely expensive, so only high-end celebrities and well-off businessmen could afford to travel in this manner. The planes were also extremely loud, which resulted in the FAA banning overland supersonic flights.

The Boom Supersonic Overture will be able to fly at least 20% faster than subsonic aircraft and then push on to break the sound barrier once flying over the ocean. Even then, Boom has introduced noise-reducing features with their updated engines that will ensure that supersonic lift-offs will be no louder than today’s subsonic take-offs.

Lastly, while ticket prices have not yet been mentioned, the price is touted to be 75% less than Concorde seat prices, which is supremely impressive. These prices will compare similarly to business class seats on normal commercial airliners. It seems that Boom is onto a winning recipe that is set to modernize and evolve international flight remarkably.