American Airlines places deposit on Boom's supersonic jets: Travel Weekly

American Airlines has put non-refundable deposits on 20 Boom Supersonic's Overture aircraft and has agreed to options for as many as 40 more.

The CFO of American Airlines said in a prepared statement that supersonic travel will be an important part of the company's ability to deliver. The future of travel is going to be shaped by Boom.

The plane will carry up to 80 passengers and travel at Mach 1.7 with a range of 4,900 miles. The first passenger service on the Overture planes is expected to start in 2029.

The average flight time between American's Miami hub and its European base in London is nine hours.

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The amount of the deposit was not revealed. There is an order book of 130 Overture aircraft. In the last year, Japan Airlines and United ordered a total of 20 aircraft.

The XB-1 demonstrator aircraft, which is one-third to scale of the Overture, is being taxi tested by Boom. The XB-1 demonstrator flights are on track to launch before the end of the year.

A fourth engine was added to the design of the Overture. The plane was supposed to have three engines.

The company that will design the engines has not been named. The planes will be built in North Carolina.