American Airlines Strikes Deal for New Supersonic Planes

American Airlines announced it would purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft from Boom Supersonic, with an option for an additional 40.

American paid a non-refundable deposit on the initial 20 aircraft, which are expected to carry passengers at twice the speed of today's fastest commercial aircraft. Under the terms of the agreement, Boom must meet industry-standard operating, performance and safety requirements as well as American's other customary conditions before delivery of any Overtures.

Last month, Boom revealed the final production design of Overture, which is slated to roll out in 2025 and carry its first passengers by 2029.

"Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers," American Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr said. "We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers."

"We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines," Boom CEO Blake Scholl said. "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."

The Overture plane is designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 speed over water with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Optimized for speed, safety and sustainability, the aircraft is also being designed to fly more than 600 routes around the world in as little as half the time.

For example, Boom officials claim flying from Miami to London would take just under five hours and a journey from Los Angeles to Honolulu could be completed in around three hours.