Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday afternoon that the Federal Aviation Administration is taking a “pivotal step” to make civil supersonic flights possible. The Department of Transportation says the flights will be fast, quiet, and coming soon. “Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering in a Golden Age of Travel,” Duffy said in a press release announcing the move. COMING SOON: SUPERSONIC FLIGHTS The @FAANews is clearing the way for supersonic technology to take the skies at MACH 1 SPEEDS The airspace is about to get faster… Welcome to the Golden Age of Travel pic.twitter.com/GK59TPQknR— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) June 30, 2026 “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are working at lightning speed to safely enable the next quantum leap in aviation technology and deliver an exciting new way to fly to the American flying public,” Duffy continued. The department said innovations in supersonic technology will make it possible to safely operate the aircraft without a sonic boom. BOOM! @FAANews is helping bring SUPERSONIC FLIGHTS over America… with no sonic boom. GAME CHANGER. This means FASTER & QUIETER flights for YOU! @AmericaRpts pic.twitter.com/LmSWvjsemi— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) June 30, 2026 This will be possible “in the next several years, in our lifetime,” said Duffy, appearing on Fox News. He explained that, if done right, the sonic boom “can ricochet off of the atmosphere and not hit the ground and break windows.” According to the FAA, commercial flights generally fly between 550 and 600 mph. With supersonic speeds, they will be able to travel faster than 770 mph. A flight from Los Angeles to New York, which currently takes roughly 5.5 hours, could take only 3 hours. In the announcement, officials only reference flights in the United States, but by securing aviation safety agreements with foreign authorities, this could change. The FAA is collaborating with the International Civil Aviation Organization, NASA, industry, and academic institutions to deliver the flights.