Journeys between London and New York could take less than four hours
Supersonic air travel could be making a 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 3 hours and 40 minutes.
By 2029, we could see the return of supersonic journeys, offering significantly shorter flight times than those provided by current commercial airlines.
The revival of supersonic flight has been a long time coming, but a crucial development has now paved the way. In June 2025, the United States lifted a longstanding ban on supersonic travel over land, a move that has opened the door for the new Overture plane by Boom Supersonic, which is already undergoing testing.
Capable of reaching speeds of Mach 1.7 and twice that over water, the Overture has already caught the attention of United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines, all of which have placed orders or preorders for the aircraft. At present, all three airlines operate flights to and from London Heathrow, so it’s highly likely the West London airport could be one of the first to see the new aircraft.
The plane, which can accommodate between 60-80 passengers, will cruise at an altitude of 60,000 feet, far higher than conventional passenger jets.
While the original Concorde was often criticised for its noise levels, modern noise-reduction technology aims to address this issue in the updated models. By 2029, US airline United plans to add 15 new supersonic airliners to its fleet, with the aim of “returning supersonic speeds to aviation”, reports the Express.
The new Overture aircraft are being manufactured by Denver-based company, Boom. According to Boom, the plane will operate on a minimum of 600 routes.
Nicholas Smith, Holidays Digital Director at Thomas Cook and eSky online travel agency, shared his thoughts on supersonic flights with 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.
He added: “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 like London to New York or Los Angeles to Washington could be cut down to just two hours, a significant decrease from the current six to seven hours.
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