The era of supersonic travel began with the legendary Concorde, which revolutionized air travel by flying at an impressive 1,350 mph. This meant transatlantic flights could be completed in less than three hours, which is about half the time of modern commercial flights. Among the fastest planes, the Concorde stood out, and although it was retired in 2003, private jets today can still reach speeds close to Mach 1 (767 mph), offering a taste of the supersonic experience.
1. Cessna Citation X+ (717 mph) The Cessna Citation X+ holds the title of the world’s fastest private jet, flying at Mach 0.935. It covers 3,460 nautical miles, enough to fly from New York to Western Europe. Introduced in 2012, this jet updated the 1996 Cessna Citation X. But, the upcoming Bombardier Global 8000 may soon outpace it with speeds of Mach 0.94 (721 mph).
2. Gulfstream G700 (710 mph) The Gulfstream G700 reaches Mach 0.925 (710 mph) and boasts a range of 7,500 nautical miles. This allows non-stop flights from New York to Johannesburg or Los Angeles to Sydney. The soon-to-launch G800 will match its speed but extend the range to 8,000 nautical miles.
3. Gulfstream G650 (710 mph) Gulfstream’s G650 also flies at Mach 0.925 with a range of 7,000 nautical miles. This is enough for routes like New York to Tokyo or Los Angeles to Auckland.
4. Gulfstream G650ER (710 mph) The “ER” stands for “extended range.” While it matches the G650’s speed of Mach 0.925, it offers a longer range of 7,500 nautical miles, similar to the G700.
5. Gulfstream G600 (691 mph) Another Gulfstream model, the G600, also reaches Mach 0.925. But, its range is slightly shorter at 6,600 nautical miles, enough to connect New York and Dubai or Los Angeles and Sydney.
6. Gulfstream G500 (710 mph) The G500 matches the G600’s speed and reaches Mach 0.925. Its range is 5,300 nautical miles, suitable for trips like New York to Buenos Aires or Los Angeles to Tokyo.
7. Bombardier Global 7500 (710 mph) The Bombardier Global 7500 also flies at Mach 0.925, but stands out with an industry-leading range of 7,700 nautical miles. It will hold this title until the Global 8000 enters service.
8. Bombardier Global 6500 (691 mph) Flying at Mach 0.9, the Bombardier Global 6500 reaches 691 mph. It can fly nonstop for 6,600 nautical miles, connecting New York to Dubai or Los Angeles to Sydney.
9. Dassault Falcon 8X (691 mph) The Dassault Falcon 8X travels at speeds up to Mach 0.9 (691 mph) and covers 6,450 nautical miles. This makes trips like New York to Nairobi or London to Jakarta possible.
10. Dassault Falcon 7X (691 mph) The Falcon 7X, the forerunner of the Falcon 8X, was the first private aircraft to include fly-by-wire technology. It also flies at Mach 0.9 and 691 mph but has a shorter range of 5,950 nautical miles, suitable for routes like New York to Tokyo or London to Singapore.
Among commercial plane, the Boeing 747-8 is the fastest, flying at Mach 0.855 (656 mph). These aircraft, which have an amazing 8,000 nautical mile range, surpassing any private jet on this list, are still in use by airlines such as Lufthansa, Korean Air, and Air China even though they are no longer in production.
With these options, travelers can still experience near-supersonic speeds, making private jets the go-to choice for those seeking the fastest planes in the skies.
