A new supersonic aircraft that could travel from New York to London in just three hours and 40 minutes is being developed by a firm called Boom Supersonic, and early tests seem positive
Supersonic air travel could be making a triumphant return to the skies, nearly two decades after the iconic Concorde was grounded.
A company is currently developing a new supersonic aircraft that could whisk passengers from New York to London in a mere three hours and 40 minutes, taking the mantle of the long-mothballed Concorde. By 2029, it’s suggested that travellers could once again experience supersonic journeys, with flight times significantly shorter than those offered by current commercial airlines.
Concorde’s last flight was 22 years ago, on November 26, 2023, when it departed London’s Heathrow Airport and landing in Bristol, England, greeted by a cheering crowd gathered behind fences near the runway. When at its best, the plane could fly at 1,354 mph. That is more than double the top speed of a Boeing 747, which peaks at a miserly 614mph.
There are numerous reasons why no one has filled the void left by Concorde over the past few decades. We looked into some of those reasons in depth last year.
READ MORE: Aviation experts slam promises made by ‘new Concorde’ firm as ‘complete bulls**t’
A crucial development has now increased the odds of a supersonic company taking to the skies again, and making a business success of doing so. In June 2025, the United States passed a key piece of legislation lifting the longstanding ban on supersonic travel over land. That means the potential US market has increased hugely.
The new plane, dubbed the Overture by Boom Supersonic, is already undergoing testing. The Overture would fly at Mach 1.7 and twice as fast over water. Major airlines including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines have placed orders and preorders for the Overture to join their fleets, reports the Express.
The aircraft could accommodate between 60-80 passengers and would cruise at an altitude much higher than standard passenger jets, at 60,000 feet.
The original Concorde faced backlash due to its noise levels, but these updated models aim to tackle this issue with modern noise-reduction technology. By 2029, US airline United has announced plans to purchase 15 new supersonic airliners and “return supersonic speeds to aviation”.
The new Overture aircraft will be manufactured by a Denver-based company named Boom. According to Boom, the plane will operate on a minimum of 600 routes.
READ MORE: TUI flight attendant says pre-flight decision is key to a happy flight with kidsREAD MORE: Some think major airline’s armrest change is ‘worse for everyone’ – others love it
Discussing supersonic flights, Nicholas Smith, holidays digital director at Thomas Cook and eSky online travel agency, told Express.co.uk: “While it’s thrilling to imagine this aviation icon back in the skies, it’s unlikely to appeal to the average holidaymaker from the UK jetting off to Benidorm for a week in the sun.
“We see the future of mainstream air travel heading towards larger, more efficient aircraft designed to carry more people, not fewer.
“That said, a modern relaunch focused on sustainability, digital innovation, and safety could carve out a niche for high-end, short-haul luxury routes – such as London to New York in under four hours. It’s not a mass-market solution, but for time-sensitive premium travellers, it could once again become the pinnacle of prestige flying.”
Travel times on routes such as London to New York or Los Angeles to Washington could be slashed to just two hours – a significant reduction from the current six to seven hours.