US Lifts Supersonic Air Travel Ban, Paving Way for High-Speed Luxury Travel

The era of transcontinental flights at twice the speed of sound is inching closer to reality. On June 6, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting the decades-long ban on supersonic flights over U.S. soil—a seismic policy shift that could transform the landscape of luxury air travel.

Banned since 1973 due to public outcry over sonic booms, overland supersonic flight has remained off-limits even as aerospace technology surged ahead. Now, under the executive directive, the Federal Aviation Administration has 180 days to repeal outdated restrictions and introduce new noise-based certification standards that prioritize community acceptance and technological feasibility. The goal: usher in a new era of quieter, faster, and more efficient air travel.

The announcement couldn’t come at a more pivotal time for innovators like Boom Supersonic. The Colorado-based aerospace company made headlines earlier this year when its demonstrator aircraft, the XB-1, broke the sound barrier in California without generating a detectable sonic boom, a feat made possible by its proprietary “boomless cruise” method. Boom’s forthcoming flagship jet, Overture, is designed to carry up to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 and is already generating interest from American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and United.

But Boom isn’t the only player in the race. NASA and Lockheed Martin’s joint X-59 QueSST project aims to prove that low-boom supersonic travel is both technically and socially viable. Meanwhile, hypersonic hopeful Hermeus is targeting even more dramatic speed breakthroughs with its Mach 5 aircraft concept.

While technical hurdles and massive development costs remain—Boom alone is estimated to need upwards of $12 billion to bring Overture to market—the regulatory green light signals a powerful tailwind for U.S. aerospace innovation. With European, Russian, and Japanese efforts also in motion, the race to define the next era of commercial aviation is officially on.

The implications for travel advisors are clear: Supersonic service could soon join the global toolkit for discerning clients seeking to save time without sacrificing comfort. Transatlantic and transcontinental itineraries may one day be reimagined with flights that cut travel times in half, so long as travelers are willing to pay the “supersonic premium.” For now, the dream of Concorde 2.0 is once again airborne.