Cross-country flights could soon be cut in half after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) moved Thursday to scrap its 1973 ban on overland supersonic travel and replace it with new noise limits.
The change could slash flights between Los Angeles and New York from about six hours to roughly three. Supersonic jets travel faster than Mach 1 — more than 770 mph — while today’s commercial airliners typically cruise between 550 and 600 mph.
The FAA plans to propose separate takeoff and landing noise standards later this year, with the new rules expected to be finalized by mid-2027.
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