concorde travel time london to new york

Concorde’S Record-Breaking Transatlantic Flights: New York To London

The Concorde was famous for its incredibly fast transatlantic flights, especially the route connecting New York and London. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Concorde made the trip from New York to London in about 3 hours.

This comprehensive guide will explore Concorde’s revolutionary flights between New York and London in detail. You’ll learn about its record-breaking flight times, how supersonic travel worked, the elite experience on board, and what ultimately grounded this iconic aircraft.

Blazing Fast Flight Times

One of the most remarkable features of Concorde’s transatlantic flights was its blazing fast flight times. Passengers could travel from New York to London in under 3 hours, a record-breaking achievement that revolutionized air travel.

This unprecedented speed allowed travelers to save significant amounts of time and experience a level of convenience that was previously unimaginable.

Under 3 Hours

Concorde’s ability to complete the journey from New York to London in under 3 hours was truly groundbreaking. Traditional commercial flights on subsonic aircraft typically took around 7-8 hours to cover the same distance.

Concorde’s supersonic speed shattered this norm and offered travelers an incredible time-saving advantage. Passengers could leave New York in the morning and arrive in London in time for a late lunch, making same-day business meetings and leisure trips a reality.

Top Speeds Over 1300 MPH

Concorde’s top speeds exceeded 1300 miles per hour, making it the fastest commercial aircraft ever to grace the skies. At this incredible velocity, passengers could enjoy breathtaking views of the Earth beneath them while marveling at the sheer speed of their journey.

The aircraft’s sleek design and powerful engines allowed it to reach these phenomenal speeds, making each flight a thrilling adventure for those fortunate enough to experience it.

Schedule and Duration Details

Concorde flights between New York and London were scheduled meticulously to ensure optimal efficiency and passenger satisfaction. Typically, there were multiple daily flights available, offering passengers flexibility in choosing their departure and arrival times.

The duration of each flight was remarkably short, averaging around 2 hours and 52 minutes. This included the time spent accelerating to supersonic speed, cruising at supersonic speed, and decelerating for landing.

The precise timing and swift travel made Concorde flights a preferred choice for time-conscious travelers.

For more information on Concorde’s record-breaking transatlantic flights, you can refer to the official website of British Airways, the primary operator of Concorde during its operational years. Visit www.britishairways.com to explore the fascinating history of Concorde and its groundbreaking achievements.

Pioneering Supersonic Technology

The Concorde, a groundbreaking supersonic passenger airliner, revolutionized air travel with its record-breaking transatlantic flights from New York to London. This article explores the pioneering technology behind the Concorde’s incredible speed and efficiency.

Breaking the Sound Barrier

One of the most remarkable features of the Concorde was its ability to break the sound barrier, reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.04 (around 1,354 mph or 2,179 km/h). This incredible speed allowed the Concorde to complete the New York to London journey in just under three and a half hours, compared to the average seven-hour flight time of conventional aircraft.

The Concorde’s ability to break the sound barrier was made possible by its sleek and aerodynamic design. The shape of the aircraft, with its long and slender fuselage, minimized drag and allowed it to cut through the air more efficiently.

Additionally, the Concorde’s delta wing design provided the necessary lift and stability at supersonic speeds.

Engines and Aerodynamics

The Concorde was powered by four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 engines, which were specially designed to provide the immense thrust needed for supersonic flight. These engines utilized afterburners, which injected fuel into the exhaust to generate additional thrust during takeoff and supersonic flight.

The engines also featured variable intake ramps, which adjusted the airflow to maintain optimal performance at different speeds.

In terms of aerodynamics, the Concorde featured several innovative design elements. Its droop nose, which could be lowered during takeoff and landing, provided the pilots with better visibility and minimized drag.

The aircraft also had retractable canards, small wing-like structures located near the nose, which helped improve stability and control at low speeds.

Navigating the Sonic Boom

One of the challenges faced by the Concorde was the creation of a sonic boom, a loud noise caused by the shock waves generated when an object exceeds the speed of sound. To mitigate the impact of the sonic boom on the ground, the Concorde implemented various measures, including flying at higher altitudes and reducing its maximum speed over land.

Despite these efforts, the sonic boom generated by the Concorde still caused concerns among communities living near airports. As a result, its operation was limited to transoceanic routes, where the sonic boom could dissipate over the ocean.

The Concorde’s limited sonic boom impact ultimately influenced its flight paths and availability to certain destinations.

Luxury Onboard Experience

Concorde’s layout and amenities.

When it came to luxury, Concorde spared no expense. The aircraft’s interior was designed with the utmost elegance and comfort in mind. Passengers were treated to spacious seating arrangements, with only 100 seats available on each flight.

The cabin featured a unique layout, with seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration, ensuring that every passenger had both a window and an aisle seat. This allowed for uninterrupted views of the stunning landscapes below.

Concorde also boasted a range of amenities that were ahead of its time. Passengers could enjoy state-of-the-art entertainment systems, complete with individual screens and a wide selection of movies and music.

Additionally, the cabin was pressurized to a lower altitude than other commercial planes, resulting in a more comfortable and relaxed journey.

5-Star Dining and Service

One of the highlights of flying on Concorde was the exceptional dining experience. Passengers were treated to gourmet meals prepared by world-class chefs. From lobster thermidor to caviar, the menu featured an array of exquisite dishes that were sure to delight even the most discerning palates.

The service onboard was equally impressive, with attentive and highly trained flight attendants catering to every need. Passengers were made to feel like VIPs from the moment they stepped on board.

Moreover, Concorde’s flight attendants were well-versed in providing a personalized service. They took the time to get to know each passenger, ensuring that their preferences and dietary requirements were met. This attention to detail added an extra touch of luxury to the overall experience.

Celebrity Passengers

It’s no wonder that Concorde attracted a host of celebrity passengers. From musicians to actors, politicians to royalty, the world’s elite flocked to experience the luxury and speed of Concorde’s transatlantic flights.

Stars like Mick Jagger, Madonna, and Elton John were often spotted on board, enjoying the exclusive amenities and impeccable service.

Concorde became a symbol of status and sophistication, with famous personalities endorsing its unparalleled luxury. It was not uncommon to hear stories of celebrities mingling with fellow passengers, creating an atmosphere of glamour and excitement throughout the journey.

The allure of flying on Concorde extended beyond its record-breaking speed; it was an experience that allowed passengers to feel like they were part of an exclusive club.

The Concorde’s Decline

The Concorde, a supersonic passenger jet known for its record-breaking transatlantic flights, faced several challenges that ultimately led to its decline. These challenges included high costs, environmental concerns, and a fatal crash in the year 2000.

One of the main factors contributing to the decline of the Concorde was its high operating costs. The construction and maintenance of the aircraft were extremely expensive, resulting in high ticket prices for passengers.

The Concorde was a luxury travel option, catering to a niche market of wealthy individuals and business travelers who were willing to pay a premium for speed and luxury. However, the high costs associated with operating the Concorde made it difficult for airlines to sustain profitable operations.

Environmental Concerns

The Concorde’s sonic booms and high fuel consumption raised significant environmental concerns. The sonic booms created by the aircraft’s supersonic speeds were disruptive to communities near airports, leading to noise pollution complaints.

Additionally, the Concorde’s engines burned large amounts of fuel, emitting substantial amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As environmental awareness and regulations increased, the Concorde faced criticism for its negative impact on the environment.

The Fatal 2000 Crash

The fatal crash of Air France Flight 4590 in 2000 further contributed to the Concorde’s decline. The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Paris, resulted in the deaths of all 109 people on board as well as four individuals on the ground.

Investigations revealed that the crash was caused by a piece of debris on the runway that punctured one of the Concorde’s tires, leading to a catastrophic chain of events. The tragic incident raised concerns about the safety of the Concorde and resulted in a temporary suspension of its flights.

Concorde’s Record-Setting Legacy

Over 30 Years of Service

The Concorde, a supersonic passenger jet, holds a remarkable legacy in aviation history. From its inaugural flight in 1976 to its final flight in 2003, the Concorde revolutionized transatlantic travel, offering unprecedented speed and luxury.

Operating for over 30 years, this iconic aircraft completed numerous record-breaking flights between New York and London.

Supersonic Travel Possibilities

The Concorde’s ability to fly at supersonic speeds, reaching up to Mach 2.04 (around 1,354 miles per hour), made it the fastest commercial airliner in the world. This incredible speed cut the flight time between New York and London to just under three and a half hours, compared to the average seven-hour flight duration of conventional aircraft.

Passengers aboard the Concorde experienced a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, soaring at altitudes of up to 60,000 feet and witnessing the curvature of the Earth.

Left Aviation Milestones

The Concorde’s record-setting flights left an indelible mark on aviation history. It became the first commercial aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds across the Atlantic Ocean, shattering previous notions of what was considered possible in air travel.

The Concorde also set various other records, such as the fastest transatlantic crossing by a commercial aircraft and the highest altitude reached by a commercial aircraft. Its groundbreaking technology paved the way for future advancements in the aerospace industry.

The Concorde’s legacy lives on, inspiring new generations of aviation enthusiasts and reminding us of the incredible feats that can be achieved through innovation and determination.

The Concorde provided the ultimate luxurious transatlantic experience, for decades connecting New York and London in a record-breaking 3 hours. Its pioneering supersonic technology ushered in a new era of possibilities for commercial aviation.

We hope this background provides useful details about the Concorde’s achievements and history-making flights between these iconic cities. Let us know if you have any other questions!

Hi there, I'm Jessica, the solo traveler behind the travel blog Eye & Pen. I launched my site in 2020 to share over a decade of adventurous stories and vivid photography from my expeditions across 30+ countries. When I'm not wandering, you can find me freelance writing from my home base in Denver, hiking Colorado's peaks with my rescue pup Belle, or enjoying local craft beers with friends.

I specialize in budget tips, unique lodging spotlights, road trip routes, travel hacking guides, and female solo travel for publications like Travel+Leisure and Matador Network. Through my photography and writing, I hope to immerse readers in new cultures and compelling destinations not found in most guidebooks. I'd love for you to join me on my lifelong journey of visual storytelling!

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How Long Did It Take for Concorde to Travel From London to New York?

By Alice Nichols

Have you ever wondered how long it took for Concorde, the legendary supersonic aircraft, to travel from London to New York? Strap in and get ready for a journey back in time as we explore the incredible speed of this iconic plane.

The Birth of Concorde

Concorde, jointly developed by British Aerospace and Aérospatiale, first took to the skies on March 2, 1969. This revolutionary aircraft was designed to fly at twice the speed of sound, reaching an astonishing Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph or 2,180 km/h). It quickly became a symbol of luxury air travel and a marvel of engineering.

The Transatlantic Crossing

The most famous route for Concorde was undoubtedly the transatlantic crossing between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. While traditional subsonic flights took around 8 hours to complete this journey, Concorde offered passengers an unmatched experience by reducing the travel time to less than half.

London to New York

Duration: Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes

Distance: Around 3,459 miles (5,570 kilometers)

New York to London

Duration: Approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes

The Experience on Board

Flying on Concorde was not just about reaching your destination faster; it was an experience like no other. Passengers enjoyed luxurious amenities and impeccable service throughout their journey. From the moment they stepped on board, they were treated to a world-class experience that included gourmet meals, fine wines, and a level of comfort that was unmatched in commercial aviation.

The End of an Era

Despite its popularity among passengers, Concorde faced numerous challenges throughout its operational life. Rising costs, limited capacity, and concerns over noise pollution eventually led to its retirement from service. The final commercial Concorde flight took place on October 24, 2003.

A Legacy That Lives On

Although Concorde is no longer in service, its legacy remains intact. It paved the way for advancements in aviation technology and changed the way we perceive air travel. Even after almost two decades since its retirement, Concorde still holds a special place in the hearts and minds of aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

In Conclusion

The time it took for Concorde to travel from London to New York was truly remarkable. With a flight duration of around 3 hours and 30 minutes, compared to the traditional 8-hour journey on subsonic aircraft, Concorde offered an unrivaled level of speed and luxury. Though it may be gone, the memory of this extraordinary aircraft will continue to fascinate generations to come.

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Supersonic History: What Routes Did Concorde Fly?

The Concorde is the stuff of aviation legend, yes — but also of rock and roll and show business legend. The story of how Phil Collins played a mega-concert on two continents on the same day is a classic example of how stars used the supersonic jet.

In 1985, a star-studded lineup of musicians played Live Aid in London and Philadelphia. The likes of U2, Freddie Mercury, Phil Collins and more played Wembley stadium; Madonna, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty headlined in Philadelphia, an ocean away. Collins wanted to play at both concerts, and the Concorde was the tool of choice. Collins played Wembley at 4pm, then left via helicopter to London Heathrow to meet the evening Concorde flight to New York. He landed at JFK, again boarded a helicopter, and played at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

The three-hour flight minus the five-hour time zone difference between the UK and the East Coast meant Collins landed in New York two hours before leaving London. Only the Concorde — part regularly scheduled airliner and part exclusive shuttle to stars, business leaders and politicians — could have made this possible.

Phil Collins could not do this today. The Concorde was taken out of service in 2003, and currently the only supersonic airplanes in the world are jet fighters and bombers.

The main operators of the Concorde were British Airways and Air France, each with seven aircraft. Where else did they fly the Concorde?

British Airways from LHR to JFK: The Classic Route

BA operated Concorde on flights BA 001 and BA 002 to and from New York's JFK, departing in the morning. The flights were timed to leave LHR at 10:30 am, arriving at 9:30am in New York, just in time for a meeting on Wall Street or in Midtown. BA 003/004, the Phil Collins flight, left in the evening.

But JFK wasn't the first destination for BA's Concordes. That honor rests with Washington's Dulles airport, which granted permission for the Concorde to land there. JFK delayed the arrival of Concorde service due to concerns about noise. BA also operated during the winter to Barbados (BGI), and there is a Concorde parked at Grantley Adams Airport. (I've toured her, but apparently the experience is currently closed .)

BA also operated scheduled services to Washington and Bahrain three times per week, Miami with a stopover in Washington, and to Toronto during the summer. Bahrain might not seem like a natural destination, but it was selected as a jumping-off point for BA flights further afield —a mini-hub — and eventually became a refueling point for BA and Singapore Airlines Concorde services, one of the first examples of code-sharing. More on that below.

Air France: L'Oiseau Blanc

Air France operated the "White Bird" on daily flights between Paris - Charles De Gaulle and JFK. The Paris flight departed at 10:30am local time, arriving in New York at 8:25am.

Air France brought the Concorde around the world, operating to Caracas, during the Venezuelan oil boom, as well as to Mexico City via Washington and to Rio de Janeiro. The Concorde had limited range compared to many subsonic airliners, and flying to Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil required refueling — in the Azores, Washington, and Dakar, Senegal, respectively.

The Kangaroo in the Room: Limited, Non-Scheduled Flights to Australia

The Concorde was a rare sight in Australia. First, the aircraft's range was limited without refueling, and refueling for a flight to Australia (twice!) would be an operational challenge. Second, its relatively limited seating, for only 100 passengers, would have made the flight cost-prohibitive for most people on such a long route. Both BA and Air France made demonstration flights to various destinations, including Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, but there were no regularly scheduled Concorde operations making the 11,000-mile route. Too bad, as the "Kangaroo Route" would be an obvious choice for a quick trip .

Charter Operations by BA and Air France

British Airways and Air France had regularly scheduled Concorde service, but each offered charter flights, often sold by tour operators. BA flew approximately 300 charters per year, according to Concorde enthusiasts . These Concorde flights were powerful marketing machines for BA and Air France, though not likely profitable.

Many such flights were around-the-world tours. The fastest was a 1992 Air France charter flight lasting 32 hours, 49 minutes and 3 seconds from Lisbon, Portugal with refueling at Santo Domingo, Acapulco, Honolulu, Guam, Bangkok and Bahrain on its return to LIS. The sun didn't set on the entire trip — the Concorde beat the sun.

Air France also got in the game, operating so-called "experience" flights, where the aircraft would take passengers up to experience supersonic flight over the Bay of Biscay. But many airports around the world were graced with the Concorde, ranging from St. John's, Newfoundland (for a whale-watching expedition in nearby St.Pierre and Miquelon) to Orlando (for the opening of the Epcot Center), northern Finland during the holidays (to meet Santa Claus) and in 1973, to view the solar eclipse (with special portholes in the top of the fuselage). Dictators were also known to charter a flight, as apparently was done by Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko for shopping trips to Paris .

Singapore Airlines: Short-Lived and One-Sided

In 1977, British Airways operated a flight from Heathrow to Singapore via Bahrain, with half of the cabin crew from Singapore Airlines. This operation was intermittent due to air rights issues and horse trading with Malaysia denying overflight rights for more access to Heathrow. The service resumed in 1979 until late 1980. The port side of the aircraft was painted with Singapore Airlines' livery while the starboard side retained the BA livery. This aircraft is now parked at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, where you can tour it. She sports the BA livery on both sides.

Braniff International Airways (Wait...Who?)

Similarly short-lived was Concorde's adventure with Braniff International Airways, which operated Concordes owned by BA or Air France in the US for a brief period in 1979 and 1980. The aircraft was used between Dallas - Fort Worth and Heathrow via Washington Dulles, operated by a Braniff crew certified to fly the aircraft. From Dallas to Dulles, it was restricted to subsonic travel — less than Mach 1, to avoid the sonic boom over populated areas — and operated by a Braniff cockpit and cabin crew. In Washington, either an Air France or BA crew would take over for the flight across the Atlantic. When the plane operated on the US portion of the flight, its registration was physically changed with temporary vinyl adhesive (according to a media report at the time) to a US registration. This was generally seen as a marketing promotion by Braniff, and the aircraft was never painted in Braniff colors. The airline was facing financial trouble then, and it went under in 1982.

Mike Arnot is the founder of Boarding Pass NYC , a New York-based travel brand, and a private pilot. He never had the chance to fly on the Concorde.

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Moments in history

20 years ago, the supersonic passenger jet concorde flew for the last time.

Jack Mitchell

A British Airways Concorde takes off from London's Heathrow Airport in 2001. David Parker/BWP Media/Getty Images hide caption

A British Airways Concorde takes off from London's Heathrow Airport in 2001.

This is part of a special series where NPR looks back at our coverage of major news stories in the past. Listen to the full audio story to hear NPR's archival audio.

There was a time when you could fly from New York City to London at twice the speed of sound. Passengers dined on caviar and sipped champagne, all while zipping across the Atlantic Ocean in just 3 1/2 hours.

The plane had a slender white fuselage, a pointy nose that moved up and down, and a delta wing that formed a triangle.

Air France pilot Michel Butel told NPR that flying this plane was like flying a fighter jet.

"It's amazing what you can do with that machine," Butel said.

He was describing the supersonic airliner Concorde, which 20 years ago made its final flight — marking the end of a groundbreaking chapter in aviation history.

The Last Flight of the Concorde

Concorde was a joint project between Britain and France, which is partly why the plane is synonymous with two airlines: British Airways and Air France. The plane's first commercial flight to the U.S. dates back to May 24, 1976. Concorde took off from London and landed with a roar at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

Ira Flatow covered the much-anticipated arrival for NPR.

"We literally were on the apron of the runway when the Concorde came by. It was the loudest sound I had ever heard in my life," he remembered in a 2003 interview .

Travel time between the two continents was cut in half.

Concorde had its critics

Concorde's early triumph was hardly without turbulence.

Environmental advocates criticized the plane's inefficiency and argued its emissions would damage the ozone layer shielding humans and the environment from harmful levels of the sun's ultraviolet radiation.

United Airlines wants to revive supersonic travel. But what about climate change?

Concorde guzzled four times more fuel than a jumbo jet like the Boeing 747 , which could also carry nearly 500 passengers (Concorde's cramped seating arrangement could carry just 100). And a round-trip ticket in the 1990s could cost as much as $10,000 — about $20,000 in today's money.

People on the ground complained about the noise from Concorde's boisterous turbojet engines, and its alarming sonic booms as it broke the sound barrier over the Atlantic.

But Concorde defied its critics. For almost three decades, the small fleet of jets kept flying — and shattering records. In 1996, a British Airways Concorde crossed from New York to London in just 2 hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds, which to this day is the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing by a passenger plane.

Singer Phil Collins and his wife Jill Tavelman check their watches at London's Heathrow Airport on July 13, 1985. Collins boarded a Concorde and flew to the U.S. for a Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia — after playing the London stage the same day. Mirrorpix via Getty Images hide caption

Concorde became the trendy way to travel for celebrity jet-setters, from Paul McCartney to Elizabeth Taylor. In 1985 during the worldwide benefit concert Live Aid, Phil Collins played the London stage, then boarded Concorde and made it to the U.S. in time to play the Philadelphia stage — all on the same day.

"I was in England this afternoon," Collins told the cheering Philadelphia crowd after taking his seat behind the piano. "Funny old world, isn't it?"

The crash that changed everything

Over the years the cost to maintain the aging supersonic jets grew more and more expensive. And even though Concorde had a reliable safety record, everything changed on July 25, 2000.

An Air France Concorde taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris struck a piece of metal debris left behind by another plane on the runway. The debris punctured one of the Concorde's tires, sending chunks of rubber into the fuel tank. The Concorde's left wing burst into flames, before the plane crashed into a roadside hotel.

"We overheard a very loud, roaring noise," said Jamie Ritchie, a British businessman who witnessed the crash. "And there was a large plume of smoke some thousand feet high."

Firefighters spray water amid the debris of Air France Flight 4590. The Concorde crashed shortly after takeoff from Charles de Gaulle Airport on July 25, 2000. Joachim Bertrand/Ministere de l'interieur/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

All 109 people on board were killed, along with four people on the ground.

Aviation authorities immediately grounded every Concorde still in service. The planes wouldn't return for over a year amid government investigations and intense regulatory scrutiny.

A farewell to supersonic passenger travel

Concorde never fully recovered.

The crash did lasting damage to consumer confidence. Then, 9/11 rocked the airline industry. The sky-high costs of supersonic jet travel became even more difficult to justify.

"Commercial supersonic flight will become like travel to the moon: a goal achieved, and then long abandoned," commentator Lester Reingold predicted on NPR's Morning Edition .

Concorde made its last-ever flight on Nov. 26, 2003, departing London's Heathrow Airport and landing in Bristol, England, greeted by a cheering crowd gathered behind fences near the runway.

The last decommissioned Concorde sails down the River Thames and past Britain's Houses of Parliament on April 13, 2004, en route to its new home at the National Museum of Flight in Scotland. Scott Barbour/Getty Images hide caption

These days, Concorde is sitting in museums all over the world. But passenger air travel at the speed of sound may not be gone for good.

NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing a supersonic aircraft that reduces the loudness of a sonic boom. And a Colorado-based company called Boom has deals with major airlines including American and United to buy its supersonic plane , which is still in development.

The company says the jets will one day cut travel time across the Atlantic in half.

Sound familiar?

More moments in history

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20 years ago, the U.S. warned of Iraq's alleged 'weapons of mass destruction'

1996: Fastest Flight Across the Atlantic in a Commercial Aircraft

  This newscast is updated weekdays at 6am, 9am, noon, 3pm, and 6pm.  

20 years ago, the supersonic passenger jet Concorde flew for the last time

This is part of a special series where NPR looks back at our coverage of major news stories in the past. Listen to the full audio story to hear NPR's archival audio.

There was a time when you could fly from New York City to London at twice the speed of sound. Passengers dined on caviar and sipped champagne, all while zipping across the Atlantic Ocean in just 3 1/2 hours.

The plane had a slender white fuselage, a pointy nose that moved up and down, and a delta wing that formed a triangle.

Air France pilot Michel Butel told NPR that flying this plane was like flying a fighter jet.

"It's amazing what you can do with that machine," Butel said.

He was describing the supersonic airliner Concorde, which 20 years ago made its final flight — marking the end of a groundbreaking chapter in aviation history.

Concorde was a joint project between Britain and France, which is partly why the plane is synonymous with two airlines: British Airways and Air France. The plane's first commercial flight to the U.S. dates back to May 24, 1976. Concorde took off from London and landed with a roar at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

Ira Flatow covered the much-anticipated arrival for NPR.

"We literally were on the apron of the runway when the Concorde came by. It was the loudest sound I had ever heard in my life," he remembered in a 2003 interview .

Travel time between the two continents was cut in half.

Concorde had its critics

Concorde's early triumph was hardly without turbulence.

Environmental advocates criticized the plane's inefficiency and argued its emissions would damage the ozone layer shielding humans and the environment from harmful levels of the sun's ultraviolet radiation.

Concorde guzzled four times more fuel than a jumbo jet like the Boeing 747 , which could also carry nearly 500 passengers (Concorde's cramped seating arrangement could carry just 100). And a round-trip ticket in the 1990s could cost as much as $10,000 — about $20,000 in today's money.

People on the ground complained about the noise from Concorde's boisterous turbojet engines, and its alarming sonic booms as it broke the sound barrier over the Atlantic.

But Concorde defied its critics. For almost three decades, the small fleet of jets kept flying — and shattering records. In 1996, a British Airways Concorde crossed from New York to London in just 2 hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds, which to this day is the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing by a passenger plane.

Concorde became the trendy way to travel for celebrity jet-setters, from Paul McCartney to Elizabeth Taylor. In 1985 during the worldwide benefit concert Live Aid, Phil Collins played the London stage, then boarded Concorde and made it to the U.S. in time to play the Philadelphia stage — all on the same day.

"I was in England this afternoon," Collins told the cheering Philadelphia crowd after taking his seat behind the piano. "Funny old world, isn't it?"

The crash that changed everything

Over the years the cost to maintain the aging supersonic jets grew more and more expensive. And even though Concorde had a reliable safety record, everything changed on July 25, 2000.

An Air France Concorde taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris struck a piece of metal debris left behind by another plane on the runway. The debris punctured one of the Concorde's tires, sending chunks of rubber into the fuel tank. The Concorde's left wing burst into flames, before the plane crashed into a roadside hotel.

"We overheard a very loud, roaring noise," said Jamie Ritchie, a British businessman who witnessed the crash. "And there was a large plume of smoke some thousand feet high."

All 109 people on board were killed, along with four people on the ground.

Aviation authorities immediately grounded every Concorde still in service. The planes wouldn't return for over a year amid government investigations and intense regulatory scrutiny.

A farewell to supersonic passenger travel

Concorde never fully recovered.

The crash did lasting damage to consumer confidence. Then, 9/11 rocked the airline industry. The sky-high costs of supersonic jet travel became even more difficult to justify.

"Commercial supersonic flight will become like travel to the moon: a goal achieved, and then long abandoned," commentator Lester Reingold predicted on NPR's Morning Edition .

Concorde made its last-ever flight on Nov. 26, 2003, departing London's Heathrow Airport and landing in Bristol, England, greeted by a cheering crowd gathered behind fences near the runway.

These days, Concorde is sitting in museums all over the world. But passenger air travel at the speed of sound may not be gone for good.

NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing a supersonic aircraft that reduces the loudness of a sonic boom. And a Colorado-based company called Boom has deals with major airlines including American and United to buy its supersonic plane , which is still in development.

The company says the jets will one day cut travel time across the Atlantic in half.

Sound familiar?

More moments in history

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How the Concorde Was Supposed to Change Travel (But Didn't)

By Ryan Craggs

With one last roof-rattling boom, the Concorde made its final flight on October 24, 2003 , less than three decades after its commercial debut. Today, most of the 20 joint British-French aircraft sit silently in museums or airports, but in its heyday, the aerospace marvel cracked the sound barrier daily, shuttling 100-odd passengers at a time from New York to London in only three hours and 45 minutes, almost half the time it took a Boeing 747 to fly the same route. The sun set on the supersonic era nearly 14 years ago, but as anyone fortunate enough to fly that high and that fast would tell you, the space-age wonder was about more than speed.

"The Concorde was fabulous. It was a fabulous aircraft," says Fred Finn , a retired business executive and holder of the Guinness Book of World Records' "World's Most Traveled Person" title. "The difference between it and a conventional aircraft is like a Rolls-Royce or Cadillac and a Lamborghini or a McLaren. You could feel it."

Finn would know as well as anyone, logging a reported 15 million miles in the air for his business dealings, and nearly 2.5 million of those miles in the same Concorde seat, 9A, during his record 718 trips aboard the supersonic jet. There he met the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Dolly Parton. Finn gladly regales any listener with Concorde yarns, like that of a Christmas Day flight with only three passengers. One took out his guitar and began to strum "Take Me Home, Country Roads." It was John Denver.

"I have a love affair with the Concorde that lasted longer than both of my ex-wives," Finn says. "It was a great part of my life."

The Concorde experience began at the airport, with its own check-in counter, then on to a lounge full of global upper-crusters. Each flight featured two red wines, two white wines, and two champagnes chosen for that flight's menu; for Finn, seat 9A always came with a complimentary half bottle of Dom Perignon. More importantly, the jet-lagless transatlantic crossing also gathered a community of passengers and crew who knew one another by name—fewer pilots have flown the Concorde than have ever been in space.

The Concorde could fly from New York to London in just over three-and-a-half hours.

To think that a service beloved by world leaders, movie stars, and business moguls would ever disappear sounds surprising in 2017, when so much caters to the ultra-rich. But as Graham Boynton's 1998 special report in Condé Nast Traveler presaged, economics were always going to be the Concorde's undoing.

"The Concorde has been a spectacular failure precisely because the numerical absurdities have, from the beginning, overwhelmed the aesthetic niceties," Boynton wrote. "It cost British and French taxpayers more than two billion dollars to develop and produce. It uses 22 tons of fuel an hour—twice the consumption of a 747 carrying four times the number of passengers as well as a significant amount of cargo. It requires 22 hours of maintenance for every hour in the air, compared with eight hours for a 747 and six and a quarter for a 777. And according to a recent study, it costs $1,814 per seat to break even on the Concorde, as opposed to $357 on a 400-seat 747 and $390 on a 275-seat Airbus A340."

In 2017 dollars, those figures translate to a Concorde needing to make $2,721 per seat to break even, whereas the 747 would have to earn $536 per seat to break even. That doesn't even account for bigger and more efficient planes like the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 787 Dreamliner . While the appetite for transatlantic flights has grown to record levels, demand has skewed toward low-cost services offered by the likes of Norwegian Air Shuttle and Wow Air .

David Learmount, a consulting editor at FlightGlobal and former Royal Air Force pilot, explains that for all the Concorde's technological innovations, it only came into service because Europeans looked skyward and felt left behind.

"Russians had Sputnik at that time, Americans had the moon landing, and Europe said, 'What the f** are we gonna do?'” Learmount says.

Russians had Sputnik at that time, Americans had the moon landing, and Europe said, 'What the f** are we gonna do?'

Originally, the U.K. and France began separately developing their respective supersonic prototypes, the British Bristol Type 223 and the French Sud Aviation Super-Caravelle. Development costs for each ran so high that in 1962, at the behest of both countries' governments, the projects merged to jointly build the Concorde. Eventually, British Airways and Air France were the technology's only takers.

"It's very simple. It was an amazing technological achievement. It was given away to the airlines for operation, because they didn't want to buy it. They knew it wouldn't be commercial. In Air France's case, they never managed to make it commercial," Learmount says.

The Concorde raked in millions of pounds sterling for British Airways, but Air France's routes to and from Paris never proved profitable. Part of it was simple logistics: Government regulations barred the Concorde from going supersonic over land, and landlocked Paris required the Concorde to spend more air time at conventional speeds. But the City of Light also wasn't a financial hub of the same caliber as New York and London, and demand just wasn't the same.

Jessica Puckett

María Casbas

CNT Editors

Boynton's 1998 article foresaw the end of the Concorde by 2015, but two cataclysmic events unspooled the plane's already loosely wound economics: The crash of Air France Flight 4590 shortly after takeoff, which killed all 113 people on board, and the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 , which left the airline industry irreparably changed.

Rather than continuing to hemorrhage money on a high-maintenance, low-profit aircraft, British Airways and Air France grounded the Concorde for good a dozen years sooner. Today, no heir to supersonic commercial flight appears imminent, and Learmount sees only two scenarios in which that will happen: Either a small, private jet appeals to the mega-rich as a prestige toy, or technological advances allow a supersonic plane to fly transpacific routes longer than the Concorde's roughly 4,500-mile range.

"If you could fly from L.A. to London, that would be something, wouldn't it," Learmount says. "You really would pay for that. You'd say, 'F** the sleeper seats, I'm going for a four-and-a-half-hour trip.'"

Startups like Boom and members of the Concorde Group are hoping to make supersonic travel a reality again some day soon. Airbus even has a patent for the Concorde-2 , a smaller "rocket" that could carry a couple dozen passengers at 4.5 times the speed of sound. But until anyone finds a way to make it financially viable, the Concorde and all its trappings will remain nothing more than a museum relic, and a memory of the good life.

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Simple Flying

Why did concorde mostly fly to new york.

Concorde was mostly renowned for its regular flights from Paris and London to New York. But, with its potential to transport the rich and famous to destinations around the world in super quick time, why did it not operate on many more routes?

The boom in supersonic travel

Concorde took to the skies for the first time on test flights in 1969. The first transatlantic crossing by the French 001 prototype took place in 1971. The BAC 002 prototype made its first visit to the USA in 1973 to mark the opening of the new Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Airport.

After a great deal of initial public interest in the iconic new aircraft, concerns began to be raised about the environmental impact of Concorde. Along with pollution, the noise during take-off and the sonic boom as the plane reached supersonic speeds caused a shift in public opinion.

Funding was cut for the American supersonic transport program, and Boeing's prototypes were never completed. Concorde supersonic flights were initially ruled out by the US, India and Malaysia. Prospective buyers for Concorde dropped out and by 1976, only British Airways and Air France took up their orders.

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Concorde begins scheduled flights

Concorde finally began operating scheduled supersonic services in January 1976, with flights from London to Bahrain and Paris to Rio de Janeiro. Soon after, the route from Paris to Caracas, via the Azores, began.

Amid public concerns about sonic booms, Concorde landings in the US were banned. However, in May 1976, Concorde received the green light to begin services to Washington Dulles International Airport. Both British Airways and Air France commenced three flights a week to the US capital.

A ban preventing Concorde from landing in New York was lifted in 1977, and flights from London and Paris to JFK Airport started in November that year. Complaints about noise were rejected when it was reported that Air Force One was louder during landing and take-off.

Singapore Airlines Concorde

Singapore Airlines briefly shared a Concorde with British Airways to operate flights from London to Singapore via Bahrain. The unique aircraft featured BA livery on one side and Singapore Airlines' livery on the other.

However, the Malaysian government complained about the noise of the sonic boom, and India banned supersonic flight in its airspace. The route was not viable with these problems, and it was canceled after three return flights.

Concorde operated various routes

From 1978 to 1982, Air France operated a Concorde service to Mexico via Washington or New York. To avoid a sonic boom in the US, the aircraft had to decelerate to subsonic speed as it crossed over Florida and then accelerate again over the Gulf of Mexico.

Concordes were used by Braniff International Airways on subsonic flights between Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington, where British or French crews took over to continue to London or Paris at supersonic speeds. The services lasted from 1978 to 1980 but were not profitable.

Although other routes around the world were tried, it was the daily services from London and Paris to New York's JFK Airport that were the mainstay of Concorde. Ultimately, it was resistance to noise pollution that prevented the wider expansion of supersonic flight.

Was supersonic passenger flight a viable real-world option?

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Photos: Inside the aircraft that ferried passengers from London to New York in 3.5 hours

By Shradha Shahani

Travelling across the Atlantic in less than four hours may sound like a futuristic dream. But 18 years ago, a glamorous aircraft ferried passengers from Paris to New York in little over the time it took to finish a seven-course French meal—3.5 hours. The engineering miracle and design marvel was called Concorde.

Inside the Concorde

The Concorde was not luxurious, but its service and speed made up for it. Photo: George Freston/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The aircraft, which took off for the skies on 2 March 1969 from Toulouse in France, had a certain romance to it. "You would always stop what you were doing [when it took off or landed]," Brian Lovegrove, a former British Airways employee told The Atlantic . "You could never have enough of seeing it. It was a delight to watch and hear."

The supersonic liner travelled faster than the speed of sound. It flew at 1300mph, quicker than the Earth spins. The Concorde soared so high that you could see the Earth's curve.

A ticket from London to New York on a flight operated by British Airways cost a whopping $7,574 (Rs5,50,000), which is equivalent to $12,460 (Rs9 lakh) today. But for the price, the Concorde experience wasn't exactly comfortable or luxurious. "The cabin was just like the Economy class of any other aircraft, except narrower. With only two seats on either side of the aisle and not even enough space to stand up straight, it was like being inside a little tube," Devesh Agarwal, a Bangalore-based aviation geek, who once flew on Concorde from London to New York over twenty years ago, told CNT India , in an earlier interview. The service, though more than made up for it. "It was beyond First Class. An onboard meal was nothing less than caviar and lobster accompanied by vintage champagne," he added. Sometimes even foie gras and truffles were part of the menu.

The invention of the Concorde

Concorde's maiden flight takes off in Fairford, Gloucestershire on 10 April 1969. Photo by SSPL/Getty Images

British Aircraft Corporation and France's Aerospatiale were the makers of the Concorde. Both the country's governments were in the search of the next best thing in aviation. While both Britain and France had prototypes, the cost of production was very high, so they decided to pool in their resources and join forces, forming what is now Airbus.

The Concorde made its first transatlantic flight on 26 September 1973, and inaugurated its first passenger flight on 21 January, 1976. British Airways flew the aircraft from London to Bahrain, Air France from Paris to Rio De Janeiro. Both airlines added regular flights to Washington DC and New York in 1977. Several other routes were added, and the Concorde flew chartered flights to destinations all over. However, the aircraft was extremely noisy. A take-off at Washington airport in 1977 measured 119.4 decibels. A thunder clap reaches 120 decibels, and a human ears threshold was 110. Broken glasses, howling pets and the crashing noise caused many countries to discontinue flights. Concorde flights started to operate only on ocean routes. So, there could be no flight from New York to Los Angeles. The mounting operating expenses and restrictions led both airlines to further cut routes, eventually operating flights only to New York City.

Then one day, the Concorde crashed

Britain's prototype of the Anglo-French supersonic Concorde airliner being rolled out of its hangar at the British Aircraft Corporation at Filton, Bristol. Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images

On 25 July 2000, Air France flight 4590 took off from Charles De Gaulle Airport with a punctured tire and crashed a few minutes later, taking away the lives of 109 people on board and four on ground. While some blamed the crash on a piece of debris on the runway, others pointed out a problem specific to Concorde tyres.

The aircraft was grounded until November 2001. After 27 years of flying passengers in lighting speed,  British Airways and Air France announced that they would retire their fleets due to the spike in costs of maintaining the fleet and the sharp drop in demand by passengers after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Jahnavi Bhatt

Condé Nast Traveller

Concorde's failure was attributed to several factors. Besides the noise concerns and limited routes, there were environmental concerns. Since it flew much higher than a regular aircraft, the exhaust gas it let out at that height could threaten the ozone layer. Plus the Concorde consumed a high amount of fuel. Its four engines guzzled 20 tonnes of kerosene per hour and 450 litres per minute at take off. Fuel price fluctuations could hit the price of tickets very hard. The Concorde could also only accommodate 120 people, so the prices were high and couldn't be distributed among more people like it is today. The manufacturer Airbus realised supporting the aircraft was almost impossible. On 26 November 2003, Concorde flew its last flight ever. Several people who loved the plane for its glamour, speed, caviar and champagne mourned its loss.

Will the Concorde make a comeback?

Princess Diana departing on Concorde from Heathrow airport in London to Vienna on 14th April 1986. Photo: Arthur Sidey/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

In January 2020, Nevada-based firm Aerion Supersonic revealed its plan to replace the Concorde with an AS2 jet flight that flies at double the speed of a regular commercial flight. However, on Friday, the company announced that it was ceasing operations due to a lack of funds.  In 2015, Club Concorde, a group of admirers of the aircraft, claimed to have raised GBP 120 million to put the supersonic passenger back in the sky. The club had plans "to purchase one of the Concorde (based in France) and operate her as a private, heritage aircraft under neutral livery".  In 2019, Emirates announced that it would relaunch the supersonic jet by 2022. In 2020, Boom Supersonic released a supersonic prototype they want to get in the air by 2026. The company's far-fetched aim is to connect any place in the world in four hours for $100 (Rs7,227). Will the needle-nose rise up in the skies once again is a big question. Until then, the aircraft remains to be prized memorabilia for its many admirers.

Queen Elizabeth II leaving Concorde on her arrival at Dhahran International Airport in Saudi Arabia in February 1979. Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images

Concorde 002 flies over Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square on 14th June 1969. Photo by Central Press/Getty Images

22nd November 1977: Captain Brian Walpole smiles from the cockpit of Concorde, having flown from London to New York on the its first commercial flight. Photo: Brian Alpert/Keystone/Getty Images

circa 1964: The Concorde supersonic airliner developed jointly by Britain and France. Photo by Keystone/Getty Images

The flight attendants on board the supersonic jet the Concorde. Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The supersonic liner travelled faster than the speed of sound. It flew at 1300mph, quicker than the Earth spins. Photo by Tony Ward/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

British Airways' Concorde replacement was a luxury Airbus that had to refuel

This or a supersonic passenger jet, you decide!

For more than 25 years, it was possible to fly from New York to London in under three hours , all while being pampered with first class luxury on the British Airways Concorde . Then, in November 2003, all that stopped. To try to recapture some of the luxury that came with flying Concorde , BA put on a special first class only flight from London to New York, and it was wild.

The service ran from 2009 until 2020, running up to twice a day and using the same BA1 to BA4 flight numbers that Concorde used to fly, according to Instagram user @abbiecheesey . The service was operated on two Airbus A318 aircraft that BA purchased specially for the route, and each was fitted out entirely with first class seats.

The interior of the plane was in a two-plus-two layout, meaning that each craft could carry 32 passengers at a time. Another unique factor was where the flights took off from. This wasn’t a service that ran from British Airways’ hub at Heathrow, which is about 45 minutes outside London, it ran from London City Airport, which is inside the North Circular highway that circumnavigates the capital.

However, where Concorde could take first class travelers direct from London to New York in just three hours, the revived BA1 service couldn’t quite manage that thanks to its takeoff and landing airport of choice. As Head For Points explains :

Thanks to take-off restrictions at London City Airport (Canary Wharf is directly in front of the runway) the A318 was not able to take-off with a full tank of fuel: the weight would prevent it from being able to climb steeply enough. This meant that the aircraft had to make a 40 minute refueling stop in Shannon.

That refueling stop was a blessing in disguise, though, as it made the most of a special feature of Shannon airport. Because Shannon is one of the few airports outside America to offer U.S. immigration services ; passengers onboard could clear customs there. This meant they could arrive in JFK as domestic passengers and miss those horrendous passport queues once they were on U.S. soil.

However, the stop off in Shannon was only on the way from London to New York, so passengers would still have to clear UK customs when they were traveling home.

All in, a trip from London to New York on the specially-commissioned Airbus would take roughly 50 minutes to reach Shannon and then an additional seven hours to reach JFK. On the return trip, it was about seven hours and 15 minutes without the stopover.

Despite its heightened service and immigration advantages, the service didn’t prove to be for everyone. In 2016, BA sold one of the Airbus A318 aircraft that was operating the service and cut it down to just one flight a day. Then in 2020 it announced that the service would end for good.

A version of this article originally appearedon Jalopnik.

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Boom Supersonic Overture: all you need to know about the 'new Concorde'

Orders for the plane, which will cut travel times significantly, are ramping up.

Boom Supersonic's Overture will fly travellers from New York to London in 3.5 hours. Photos: Boom Supersonic

If there was one thing that could be changed when it comes to flights, most travellers would probably say the seemingly endless hours spent in the sky.

So, what if that time could be substantially cut?

Boom Supersonic, the US plane manufacturer, plans to have the answer with its new Overture jet, which is set to transport customers at twice the speed of today's fastest commercial aircraft , and is regarded as "the new Concorde".

Here's all you need to know about the Overture:

By how much will Overture cut travel times?

It proposes to take passengers from New York to London in only 3.5 hours, with its four wing-mounted engines allowing it to cruise faster than the speed of sound when flying over water, and at just under Mach 1 when flying above land.

This would also allow it to do Los Angeles to Sydney in eight hours — a trip that usually takes around 15 hours. Overture is being designed to fly more than 600 routes around the world.

American Airlines orders supersonic jets as high-speed travel makes a comeback

What are its specifications?

Boom puts the Overture's range at 4,888 miles, which is somewhat below the likes of the superjumbo Airbus A380 , which can fly more than 8,000 miles. Overture is, after all, built for speed.

It is 201 feet long, has a wingspan of 106 feet, will cruise at an altitude of 60,000 feet and is planned to carry between 65 and 80 passengers at a time.

Boom said the design is the culmination of 26 million core-hours of simulated software designs, five wind tunnel tests, and the careful evaluation of 51 full design iterations, resulting in an economically and environmentally sustainable supersonic airliner.

“Aviation has not seen a giant leap in decades. Overture is revolutionary in its design, and it will fundamentally change how we think about distance,” said Boom founder and chief executive Blake Scholl.

A larger diameter towards the front of the aircraft and a smaller diameter towards the rear minimises drag and maximises fuel efficiency at supersonic speeds .

Carbon composite materials, which are lighter, stronger, and more thermally stable than traditional metal construction, are incorporated into the majority of the build.

When will it be ready?

Its first full-scale manufacturing facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, was announced in January. It will include the final assembly line, test facility and customer delivery centre.

Boom said it will create more than 1,750 jobs in North Carolina by 2030, expanding to a total of more than 2,400 jobs by 2032.

The Overture Superfactory will begin production in 2024. The first Overture aircraft is expected to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026, and carry its first passengers by 2029.

“With some of the country’s best and brightest aviation talent, key suppliers, and the state of North Carolina’s continued support, Boom is confident that Greensboro will emerge as the world’s supersonic manufacturing hub," said Mr Scholl.

However, Boom does not yet have an engine manufacturer lined up. It is talking with Rolls Royce and others.

“With a supersonic jet, you don't design a plane, you design an engine first,” Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at consultant AeroDynamic Advisory, told Bloomberg. “This is just a collection of freehand drawings until that engine happens.”

Which airlines have placed orders?

American Airlines on Tuesday confirmed an order for 20 Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 40. American paid a non-refundable deposit on the initial 20 aircraft.

United Airlines last year agreed to a similar deal with Boom , announcing it would purchase 15 Overture jets once safety, sustainability and operating requirements were met. United has the option to purchase an additional 35 supersonic jets.

Virgin, meanwhile, signed an option to buy 10 of the planes back in 2016.

The plane carries a list price of $200 million.

How does it compare to Concorde?

Concorde was the king of the skies when it came to speedy travel from when it was introduced in 1976 until it was retired in 2003, three years after an Air France flight crashed into a hotel, killing everyone on board.

The first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial jet was similar in size to the Overture at 202ft long, while its maximum range was 4,500 miles and it carried up to 100 passengers.

“Concorde was a technological marvel of its time, but economically and environmentally unsustainable,” said Mr Scholl last year.

Concorde's operating cruise speed was Mach 2, about 1,350mph. It flew from London to New York in about three hours.

Concorde pictured at Al Bateen Airport in July 1974 by Peter Alvis, who lived and worked in Abu Dhabi from 1973 to 1975. He remembers: “Our office was in line with the runway and when Concorde took off we thought the office was about to collapse, as the whole place was shaking.” Courtesy: Peter Alvis

Is Overture sustainable?

Boom says it is the first commercial aircraft manufacturer to incorporate sustainability from day one.

Overture’s fleet will be able to run on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuels.

Overture’s LEED-certified production facility will leverage clean electricity generation and facilitate waste-minimising assembly.

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What Routes Did British Airways Operate Using Concorde?

British Airways was an operator of Concorde. We ask the following question: What routes did they operate using this aircraft?

The aircraft was a supersonic passenger airliner that flew from 1976 to 2003. It was jointly developed by the British Aircraft Corporation and the French aerospace manufacturer Aérospatiale.  

The Concorde was capable of flying at twice the speed of sound, and it revolutionized air travel by making it possible to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in just over three hours. 

The British Airways Concorde Routes 

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British Airways was one of the two airlines that operated the Concorde, along with Air France. British Airways operated the Concorde on a number of routes, including: 

• London Heathrow (LHR) to New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) 
• London Heathrow (LHR) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) 
• London Heathrow (LHR) to Bahrain International Airport (BAH) 
• London Heathrow (LHR) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) 
• London Heathrow (LHR) to Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) (Barbados) 

London Heathrow to New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)…

The London-New York route was the Concorde’s most popular and well-known route. British Airways operated two daily flights in each direction, and the flight time was just over three hours.  

The Concorde was the fastest way to travel between London and New York, and it was a popular choice for business travelers and leisure travelers alike. 

London Heathrow to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)… 

The London-Washington route was also very popular, with several flights per week. The flight time was around three and a half hours.  

The Concorde was the fastest way to travel between London and Washington, and it was a popular choice for government officials and business travelers. 

London Heathrow to Bahrain International Airport (BAH)…

The London-Bahrain route was less frequent, with only a few flights per week. The flight time was around six hours.  

The Concorde was the fastest way to travel between London and Bahrain, and it was a popular choice for business travelers and leisure travelers alike. 

London Heathrow to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)… 

The London-Singapore route was also less frequent, with only a few flights per week. The flight time was around thirteen hours.  

The Concorde was the fastest way to travel between London and Singapore, and it was a popular choice for business travelers and leisure travelers alike. 

London Heathrow to Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) (Barbados)… 

The London-Barbados route was a seasonal service, operating only during the winter months. The flight time was around six hours.  

The Concorde was the fastest way to travel between London and Barbados, and it was a popular choice for leisure travelers. 

British Airways also operated a number of charter flights with the Concorde, flying to destinations such as Mexico City, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Toronto. 

The Concorde was a truly remarkable aircraft, and it revolutionized air travel by making it possible to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in just over three hours.  

British Airways played a major role in the success of the Concorde, and its Concorde routes were some of the most popular in the world. 

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Flight Time Comparisons

Flight times on the Concorde routes operated by British Airways were significantly faster than modern-day, non-supersonic flight times. 

The Concorde could fly at twice the speed of sound, which means that it could fly from London to New York in just over three hours.  

This is compared to a flight time of around seven and a half hours on a modern subsonic airliner. 

The following table compares the flight times on the Concorde routes operated by British Airways with modern-day, non-supersonic flight times: 

As can be seen, the Concorde was significantly faster than modern subsonic airliners on all of the routes that it operated. 

The cost of speed 

The Concorde was a remarkable aircraft, and it revolutionized air travel by making it possible to fly long distances in a very short period of time.

However, the Concorde was also very expensive to operate. 

The cost per flying hour for the Concorde was significantly higher than the cost per flying hour for a modern conventional non-supersonic airliner. 

The Concorde was a very complex aircraft, and it required a lot of maintenance. It also burned a lot of fuel, due to its high speed.

As a result, the cost per flying hour for the Concorde was estimated to be around £30,000. 

Modern conventional non-supersonic airliners are much more efficient than the Concorde.

They also require less maintenance. As a result, the cost per flying hour for a modern conventional non-supersonic airliner is estimated to be around £10,000. 

The following table compares the cost per flying hour for the Concorde with the cost per flying hour for a modern conventional non-supersonic airliner: 

It is important to note that the cost per flying hour for an airliner can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of aircraft, the route that it is operating, and the fuel price.

However, the aircraft was generally considered to be one of the most expensive airliners to operate. 

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Faster than Concorde: fly from London to New York in just 90 minutes

Virgin Galactic reveals designs of 2,300mph supersonic jet

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Move over Concorde, Virgin Galactic is aiming to shatter the icon’s transatlantic airline record for fastest flight time between London and New York.

Virgin Galactic vs. Blue Origin vs. SpaceX: what sets the space tourism firms apart?

The spaceflight company has revealed the first designs of a Mach 3 supersonic passenger jet and announced a collaboration with Rolls-Royce to develop engine propulsion technology for the high-speed commercial aircraft.

Although still in the early concept stages, the jet is intended to reach speeds of around 2,300mph (Mach 3) - three times the speed of sound.

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In February 1996, a British Airways Concorde flew from New York to London in two hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds - averaging speeds of 1,250mph.

But as CNBC reports, the Virgin Galactic jet’s supersonic speed could see flights between London and New York take just 90 minutes, while trips from London to Sydney could be completed in five hours.

George Whitesides, chief space officer at Virgin Galactic, said : “We are excited to complete the Mission Concept Review and unveil this initial design concept of a high speed aircraft, which we envision as blending safe and reliable commercial travel with an unrivalled customer experience.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the innovative team at Rolls-Royce as we strive to develop sustainable, cutting-edge propulsion systems for the aircraft, and we are pleased to be working with the FAA to ensure our designs can make a practical impact from the start. We have made great progress so far, and we look forward to opening up a new frontier in high-speed travel.”

Virgin Galactic says the Mach 3 certified delta-wing aircraft will fly at an altitude of more than 60,000ft.

It will have capacity for between nine and 19 passengers, and custom cabin layouts will be incorporated, including business or first class seating.

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You could fly from New York to London in 3.5 hours on this new supersonic jet

The commercial supersonic plane may be rolled out as early as 2035.

Humans may soon be able to travel faster than the speed of sound, courtesy of NASA and aerospace company Lockheed Martin.

The two organizations just unveiled the X-59 Supersonic jet, also known as "Son of Concorde," which they hope will allow people to travel from London to New York in just three-and-a-half hours at 767 miles per hour. That's very fast, in case you were wondering.

As exciting as the project sounds, it might take a bit of time before it comes a reality: before actually taking flight, the aircraft will have to pass extensive testing, specifically about its loudness.

In fact, supersonic jets have been deemed illegal across the United States and some other countries for the past half-century because of the sonic booms that startle the public below when they are flying above faster than the speed of sound.

“ The 100-foot long, 30-foot wide X-59 aircraft is hoping to circumvent sound restrictions with innovative design,” reports Time Out London .  “ Its long, tapered nose apparently breaks up the shock waves which would ordinarily result in a sonic boom, while its streamlined design will allow it to fly at lightning speeds of 925 miles per hour—1.4 times the speed of sound.”

According to the outlet, if all goes well, the aircraft will enter the public realm by 2035. What's a bit more than a decade, after all?

“This is a major accomplishment made possible only through the hard work and ingenuity from NASA and the entire X-59 team,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “In just a few short years we’ve gone from an ambitious concept to reality. NASA’s X-59 will help change the way we travel, bringing us closer together in much less time.”

If the name Son of Concorde sounds familiar, it's because it directly calls out to the famous Concorde aircraft that was launched back in 1976 and was able to fly 1,350 miles per hour. The renowned plane was retired about two decades ago following major technical issues and a fatal crash in the year 2000.

This isn't the first time in recent years that aviation experts have been trying to cut down the time it currently takes to travel from New York to London (seven hours): in August of 2022, startup Boom Supersonic announced the expected launch of a new airline model called Overture , which is still supposed to officially be produced in 2029. The new aircraft will supposedly fly from the United States to Europe in 3.5 hours. 

Where there is a will, it seems, there is a way.

• Anna Rahmanan

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New 'Concorde 2' could fly from London to New York in an hour

The design for a successor to the concorde has been patented by airbus, article bookmarked.

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An Airbus design for a successor to Concorde will fly at 4.5 times the speed of sound and get passengers from London to New York in one hour flat.

The Concorde 2 would take off vertically and fly at speeds of 3,425 miles per hour – three times faster than the original Concorde, according to a video by Patent Yogi .

Described as “the highest rollercoaster in the world”, the aircraft would rely on three different types of engine, each fuelled by different forms of hydrogen.

Two turbo jets would propel the plane into the air in a vertical take-off. A rocket motor would then accelerate it through the sound barrier, taking it to 35,000m altitude. Finally wing-mounted ramjets would push the Concorde 2 to its final cruising speed of Mach 4.5.

The designs, based on a patent awarded to Airbus in July, are of a sleek, futuristic aircraft that look more at home in a Hollywood sci-fi than over the skies of London.

• Concorde could be back in the skies by 2019
• Concorde's successors in the works 15 years on from crash
• Airbus takes the battle of the skies to Boeing's backyard
• How Airbus’s bet on big went awry

But the smooth bubble-shaped outline will also make the aircraft quieter, cutting down the volume of the infamous sonic boom as the plane breaches the sound barrier.

The hypersonic jet might not not only cut down trans-Atlantic journey times - it could also potentially cross the Pacific from LA to Tokyo in just three hours.

However not all its specifications improve on the original Concorde. It will only carry 20 passengers – sitting in hammocks according to the video - and the cost of a ticket could burn a hole in your pocket.

“In the case of civil applications, the market envisaged is principally that of business travel and VIP passengers, who require transcontinental return journeys within one day,” the patent states, according to the Daily Mail .

Airbus says the jet could also be used for military purposes, transporting soldiers at high speed, creating the ultimate rapid-reaction force.

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