United Airlines Orders 15 Supersonic Jets, But You May Have To Wait A Few Years To Fly

United Airlines Holdings Inc UAL announced Thursday its plan to purchase 15 supersonic jets, referred to as Overture, from Boom Supersonic, with the option to purchase an additional 35 aircraft.

What Happened: “This is a first order for the supersonic jet from a legacy airline,” said CNBC auto and airline industry reporter Phil LeBeau Thursday on "Squawk Box."

United said Overture is expected to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026 and carry passengers by 2029.

Why It’s Important: “United believes this is a smart hedge on the future. They will be targeting key cities like New York, San Francisco. So you could do San Francisco to Tokyo, New York to London," LeBeau told CNBC viewers Thursday. "They believe that this plane, flying at Mach 1.7, will cut down the flights of some international routes in half,”

United’s mission “has always been about connecting people and now working with Boom, we’ll be able to do that on an even greater scale,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a press release Thursday.

The press release also stated, “Working with Boom is another component of United’s strategy to invest in innovative technologies that will build a more sustainable future of air travel."

United stated Overture is expected to be the first large commercial aircraft to be net-zero carbon from day one, optimized to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

UAL Price Action: UAL shares were down 4.25% at $57.74 at last check Thursday.

(Photo: Conceptual render of aircraft via Boom Supersonic)