Supersonic aircraft are set to return following a significant move by the United States to lift a 50-year ban. The Trump administration asserts that advancements in technology now allow planes to exceed the speed of sound without creating disruptive sonic booms.
Since 1973, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prohibited civil aircraft from breaking the sound barrier over U.S. territory to prevent the disturbing effects of sonic booms. The Department of Transportation plans to replace this ban with a noise threshold system, allowing aircraft to fly faster than Mach 1 over land as long as the noise levels remain within specified limits.
According to an announcement by the FAA on Tuesday, June 30, an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in June 2025 directed the FAA to rescind the ban on supersonic flights over land, establish noise-based certification standards, and eliminate regulatory obstacles hindering supersonic aviation technology in the country.
One Mach equals the speed of sound, approximately 1,235 km/h (767 mph or 343 m/s) in dry air at sea level at 20°C. The FAA aims to finalize these regulations by mid-2027.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated that modern technological advancements will mitigate the traditional sonic boom, allowing for the potential repeal of the 1970s ban on supersonic flights over the U.S. while minimizing noise disturbances to communities along flight paths and near airports.
During the 1960s, aircraft exceeding the speed of sound produced disruptive shock waves that caused windows to shatter, property damage, and numerous public complaints. In response to these issues, the FAA implemented the ban in 1973 to protect the public from the effects of sonic booms.
Years later, Air France and British Airways introduced the Concorde aircraft, which were allowed to fly into New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport at subsonic speeds over U.S. airspace.
Several American companies are currently developing new luxury supersonic passenger jets with quieter sonic booms and improved fuel efficiency. Boom Supersonic, based in Colorado, has secured orders from major airlines for its Overture aircraft designed to carry 60-80 passengers, while Spike Aerospace, headquartered in Atlanta, is working on Diplomat jets capable of accommodating up to 18 passengers.
Both companies are promoting the potential for transatlantic flights to be completed in under four hours on their respective websites.
