American Airlines has signed an agreement with Boom Supersonic to purchase 20 of the firm’s Overture aircraft.
The airline has paid a non-refundable deposit on the initial 20 aircraft, and the deal includes the option for an additional 40 aircraft.
Before the delivery of any Overtures, the carrier said that Boom “must meet industry-standard operating, performance and safety requirements as well as American’s other customary conditions”.
Overture is designed to run on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and carry 65 to 80 passengers. It is currently slated to roll out in 2025 and carry passengers by 2029. The firm’s one-third scale XB-1 demonstrator aircraft rolled out in 2020.
The aircraft is designed to fly at speeds of Mach 1.7 – twice the speed of current commercial jets – which would potentially halve journey times. American Airlines has said that the aircraft could transport passengers from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours.
AA’s chief financial officer Derek Kerr commented:
“Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers. We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers.”
Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom, added:
“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines. We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage on network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-changing benefits of cutting travel times in half.”
Boom Supersonic has also signed deals with United Airlines and Japan Airlines.
