United Airlines has ordered 15 Boom Supersonic Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 35 aircraft. That would take the total fleet to 50 units.
United said the Overture jet will be able to fly at speed of Mach 1.7, twice the speed of today’s fasted airliners.
The deal could trim the trip from Newark to London to 3.5 hours, United says.
Newark to Frankfurt could take four hours, meanwhile, a trip which currently takes more than seven hours. San Francisco to Tokyo, United says, could be completed in six hours. Currently, that direct flight takes more than 11 hours.
Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl said in a statement: “United and Boom share a common purpose — to unite the world safely and sustainably. At speeds twice as fast, United passengers will experience all the advantages of life lived in person, from deeper, more productive business relationships to longer, more relaxing vacations to far-off destinations.”
Overture is expected to carry 65 to 88 passengers, in an all-business class configuration. It will be able to cruise at an altitude of up to 60,000 feet, and will have a range of 4,888 miles.
The aircraft is expected to be introduced in 2025, fly in 2026, and enter commercial service in 2029.
