JAL's Dream Coming True? Latest Supersonic Jet Technology Enables Same-Day Trips to the Western US

Japan Airlines (JAL) has joined forces with Boom Supersonic, a company developing supersonic passenger aircraft. According to an announcement made on December 5, 2017, JAL will invest $10 million (approximately 1.1 billion yen) in Boom and provide technical support and promotional assistance. In return, Boom has agreed to grant JAL the right to prioritize orders for 20 aircraft.

Reference Image (Source: ChatGPT-4o)

The top speed of the supersonic passenger aircraft being developed by Boom is estimated to be Mach 2.2, or approximately 2,335 km/h. This is more than three times faster than current passenger aircraft. The aircraft will have a range of 8,334 km and feature 45 to 55 seats, all in business class.

With the introduction of this supersonic passenger aircraft, same-day trips from Japan to the western United States are expected to become a reality. According to JAL, flights to the western United States, which currently take about 9 hours, could be shortened to 4 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours with a supersonic aircraft.

JAL actually considered introducing the Concorde, a supersonic aircraft jointly developed by the United Kingdom and France in the 1960s, but ultimately abandoned the plan. At that time, the fuel efficiency was poor, and the operating costs were high, resulting in low profitability per aircraft. However, a JAL official explained that "technological advancements have improved safety and cost-effectiveness, creating a renewed opportunity to pursue supersonic aircraft."

If the introduction of this supersonic passenger aircraft is successful, it is expected to create new value in terms of time.