American Airlines and Boom Supersonic today announced the airline’s agreement to purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft, with options for an additional 40. American paid a non-refundable deposit for the initial 20 planes. The Overture is expected to move passengers twice as fast as today’s fastest commercial airliners.
Boom Supersonic’s Overture will introduce a significant new speed advantage for American’s fleet, which is currently the simplest, youngest and most efficient among U.S. airlines. Under the terms of the agreement, Boom must meet operational requirements, industry standard performance and safety standards, as well as other customary American conditions prior to delivery of any Overture.
“Looking ahead, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to serve our customers,” said Derek Kerr, American’s Chief Financial Officer. “We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel for both our company and our customers.”
The Overture is designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at a speed of Mach 1.7 over water, which is twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft, with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Optimized for speed, safety and sustainability, Overture is also designed to fly more than 600 routes around the world in just half the time. Flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and from Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours are just a few of the many possibilities.
“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines,” said Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom. “We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage in network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-shifting benefits of cutting travel times in half.”
In July, Boom revealed the final production design for the Overture, which is scheduled to launch in 2025 and carry its first passengers by 2029.