Why Transatlantic Planes Are Currently Flying at Supersonic Speeds
Discover how strong jet streams across the Atlantic are enabling passenger airplanes to reach speeds of 761 mph, significantly reducing flight times Uncover the fascinating science behind this phenomenon and why it doesn't break the sound barrier
Editors Note: Join Unlocking the World, CNN Travels weekly newsletter for the latest updates on aviation, food and drink, accommodation, and other travel advancements. The jet stream, renowned for saving many travelers from uncomfortable leg space, is famous for shortening west-to-east long-haul flights by approximately an hour.
Currently, economy class travelers are experiencing particularly challenging conditions as the jet stream over the Atlantic is exceptionally powerful. As a result, flights from the US to Europe are attaining speeds comparable to the velocity of sound. According to NASA, sound typically travels at approximately 761 mph or 1,100 feet per second under "sea level standard conditions," which equates to just over 661 knots.
Passenger aircraft traveling east from the US across the Atlantic have recently reached speeds of up to 778 mph in the past 24 hours. This is over 200 miles per hour faster than the typical cruising speeds.
However, it is important to note that these flight times should not be compared to the much-missed Concorde, which was known for breaking the sound barrier with its sonic booms. The difference lies in understanding ground speed versus speed in the air (indicated air speed), which refers to the speed of the plane in relation to the air surrounding it. Despite their impressive speed, these passenger flights did not break the sound barrier.
But flight times were reduced significantly. On November 1, Emirates flight 222 from Dallas to Dubai arrived 57 minutes ahead of schedule, achieving a maximum speed of 675 knots, equivalent to 777 mph, off the coast of Newfoundland, as reported by the flight tracking site Flightaware.
This plane reached a top speed of 777 mph or 675 knots.
Courtesy Flightradar24
American Airlines flight 106 departed JFK for Heathrow and arrived ahead of schedule by 54 minutes on Wednesday morning. The flight duration was a mere six hours and seven minutes, reaching a maximum speed of 778 mph or 676 knots near Newfoundland.
Simultaneously, Delta flight 186 swiftly traversed from Los Angeles to London, achieving speeds of up to 760 mph. It arrived half an hour earlier than expected on November 1 at 1.08 p.m.
A KLM cargo plane which took off nearly four hours late on November 1 was due to arrive just under two hours late, traveling from Miami to Amsterdam.
The jet stream explained
The jet stream, as described by the UK's Met Office, is a powerful band of winds located approximately five to seven miles above the Earth's surface, blowing in an eastward direction. This natural phenomenon is responsible for the discrepancy in travel times between eastbound and westbound flights. Long-haul flights can accumulate time variations of an hour or more, depending on their travel direction.
At an altitude of seven miles above the Earth's surface, which is approximately 37,000 feet, aircraft effortlessly enter the jet stream. This is attributed to the rapidly cooling weather conditions in the United States this week, which are now traveling towards Europe as Storm Ciaran, as stated by CNN meteorologist Sara Tonks.
The extended duration of the world's longest flight exceeded two months in the sky.
"The recent surge of frigid air in the United States has significantly increased the temperature disparity between the cold United States and the warm Atlantic Ocean," she notes.
This amplification of the temperature gradient is causing the jet stream to accelerate. The accelerating jet stream is forecasted to enhance Storm Ciaran, a low-pressure system and potential bomb cyclone that is anticipated to reach Europe tonight [Wednesday].
CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam explains that ground speed and airspeed are two different measurements of an aircraft's velocity. Ground speed refers to how fast the plane is moving relative to a fixed point on the ground, while airspeed refers to the speed of the aircraft relative to the air it is flying through. Regardless of the measurement used, these planes are able to save both time and money.
The jet stream is making planes go around 200mph faster than average.
CNN
Despite the speed of flights this week, they still have a bit of ground to cover to match the record-breaking flights that occurred before the pandemic.
During February 2019, a Virgin Atlantic plane achieved a speed of 801mph while traveling from Los Angeles to London. This feat was made possible by a 200mph jet stream over Pennsylvania, although the speed decreased to 710mph once the plane reached the ocean. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, typically maintains a cruising speed of approximately 560mph. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, hailed this achievement as surpassing any previous commercial non-supersonic plane in history.
The British Airways Boeing 747 shattered the previous record the following year, reaching a speed of 825mph on a flight from New York to London. This achievement reduced the travel time from approximately seven hours to less than five. Interestingly, on that very day, a Virgin Atlantic aircraft also completed the same route in just two minutes longer.
