Fort Worth-based American Airlines announced this week that it will purchase up to 20 high-speed jets from Denver-based Boom Supersonic, with an option to purchase an additional 40 jets.
The Overture high-speed jets are designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at nearly 1,300 miles per hour over water, which is twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft. The company said its jets could travel from Miami to London in five hours, or from Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours.
Overture is also engineered to be a net-zero carbon aircraft that will fly on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. The jet is scheduled to launch in 2025 and carry its first passengers by 2029, according to Boom Supersonic.
American Airlines is the second U.S. airline to partner with Boom Supersonic. United Airlines became the first U.S. airline to partner with the Colorado-based aerospace company last year when it announced that it would purchase 15 Overture jets. American and United both have a contractual provision stating Boom Supersonic must meet their safety, operating and sustainability requirements.
“Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers,” American Airlines CFO Derek Kerr said in a statement. “We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers.”
Boom Supersonic, which became a unicorn in 2020, was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Startup Employers earlier this year.
