United buying 15 supersonic planes

United Airlines announced on Thursday that it is adding 15 jets from the Denver-based Boom Supersonic to its fleet.

United said in a statement it will purchase the “Overture” aircrafts once they meet its “demanding safety, operating and sustainability requirements,” with the option to acquire 35 more.

Overture is set to become the first large commercial aircraft to run on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel, according to the airline. 

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“Our 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 Scotty Kirby said. 

Reuters reports the jets will be the first supersonic passenger planes since the retirement of the Concorde in 2003.

“The world’s first purchase agreement for net-zero carbon supersonic aircraft marks a significant step toward our mission to create a more accessible world,” Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl said in the statement. “United and Boom share a common purpose — to unite the world safely and sustainably. At speeds twice as fast, United passengers will experience all the advantages of life lived in person, from deeper, more productive business relationships to longer, more relaxing vacations to far-off destinations.”

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