Miami to London in 5 hours? American Airlines bets on supersonic flights with Boom planes

The airline American Airlines, one of the largest in the world, announced on Tuesday the agreement to buy 20 ultra-fast Overture jets from the manufacturer Boom Supersonic, which would cut the current time of a transatlantic flight in half.

American thus becomes the second major US airline to bet on supersonic travel, after United Airlines announced the purchase of 15 Boom planes in 2021, which would mean a renaissance of ultra-fast air flights after the retirement in 2003 of the Concorde, operated by Air France and British Airways, after 27 years of service.

In a text published on its official website, American Airlines announced that it had made a non-refundable deposit for the first 20 aircraft, without specifying the amount of the operation, and added that they have the option of buying another 40 additional planes, each with a capacity of between 65 to 80 passengers.

“Going forward, supersonic travel will be a very important part of our service capabilities. We are very excited about Boom’s ability to shape the future of travel, both for our company and our customers,” said American Airlines CFO Derek Kerr. it’s a statement.

Boom Supersonic revealed in July the design of its new Overture jet, a four-engine aircraft that can travel from Miami to London in about five hours and that would begin operating with passengers in 2029.

“We are very proud to share our vision of a sustainable and better connected world with American Airlines,” said the founder and CEO of Boom according to the statement.

Overture jets are optimized to operate with “speed, safety and sustainability” on more than 600 routes around the world in half the time of current flights. According to the Colorado-based company, the ships could take passengers from one side of the Atlantic to the other in just under 5 hours and reduce the trip from Los Angeles to Honolulu to 3 hours.

Both American and United made it a condition that the jets meet safety, performance and sustainability requirements. The environmental impact of ultra-fast flights is one of the main criticisms of environmentalists, who argue that this type of aircraft spends twice as much fuel as the rest.

According to Boom Supersonic statements, its ships will operate with 100 percent sustainable fuel or a mixture. The first test flights are scheduled for 2026.

The announcement by American Airlines coincides with a moment of pressure for airlines around the world, which due to lack of personnel and aircraft have had to cancel thousands of flights in the middle of the high season, causing the discontent of millions of passengers.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.