American Airlines said that it has contracted to buy up to 20 jets that, though not yet in the air, could fly faster than current commercial aircraft.
American committed “to purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 40,” the airline and Boom Supersonic, the planes’ maker, said in a news release on Tuesday.”
The “Overture” aircraft “are projected to carry passengers at speeds twice as fast as today’s fastest commercial aircraft, “based on the press announcement.
Currently, it takes nine hours to travel from Miami to London and six hours to travel from Los Angeles to Honolulu. The airline wants to reduce the length of those flights in half.
The planes are anticipated to travel over water at a speed of Mach 1.7, or over 1,300 mph, which is roughly twice as fast as the current fastest commercial airline alternatives. The speed of sound is 1.7 times faster at Mach 1.7.
However, don’t count on the flights to still be accessible when you schedule your next vacation. According to Boom, the Overture is anticipated to launch in 2025 and begin transporting people by 2029.