How fast does a plane travel? Your guide to Aircraft speed

When we think about aeroplanes, speed is one of the things that comes to mind first. Flying thousands of miles in just a few hours is plain magic that happens in the air. But have you wondered how fast does a plane travel? 

This blog will break down the average speeds of different aircraft types—from commercial jets to military fighters and supersonic prototypes—along with the factors affecting those speeds. Let’s buckle up and explore the world of airspeed.

Understanding the Airspeed: The Foundation Part

Before diving into the numbers, let’s understand what the speed is. There are different types of airspeed.

Types of speed	Concise details
Indicated Airspeed(IAS)	Indicated airspeed is used to measure an airplane’s speed as it moves through the air and is based on pressure readings collected by the pitot-static system.
Calibrated Airpseed(CAS)	Calibrated airspeed takes the indicated airspeed (IAS) and then corrects if there is instrumentation or position errors
True Airspeed(TAS)	True airspeed TAS is the airplane’s speed concerning the air mass it is flying through, and if the air is perfectly still, then the aircraft is flying straight; otherwise, it has the same speed as ground speed
Ground Speed(GS)	Groundspeed is the actual speed at which the airplane moves across the ground. Groundspeed calculates your true airspeed and adjusts for wind.

For simplicity, when we ask how fast does a plane travel, that means we are talking about the True Airspeed (TAS) or the ground speed(GS).

How fast do commercial planes travel?

Most people are familiar with commercial flights, where the commercial flights is used to cover long-distance journeys. This provides comfort to the travelers and also uses its fuel very efficiently. Airlines like Emirates and Delta Airlines operate at such optimal speeds to maintain performance.

Average speed of commercial jets:-

These are some popular commercial jets that have various speed limits.

Commercial jets	Speed
Boeing 737	It is approximately 530 to 580 mph (850 to 930 km/h)
Boeing 777	~560 to 590 mph (900 to 950 km/h)
Airbus A320	It is about 510 to 540 mph (820 to 870 km/h)
Airbus A350	~560 to 590 mph (900 to 950 km/h)

Most of the commercial flights cruise at 30,000 to 40,000 feet and fly fast with much less fuel.

Why not faster?

Commercial aircraft speeds are limited to ensure fuel efficiency, passenger safety, and the lowest operational cost. Going faster would require more fuel and powerful engines, which would significantly increase the price.

Focusing on the speed of a private jet

Private jets are commonly used by business travelers and VIPs, which provide faster and more direct routes than commercial airlines.

Let’s have a look at the Average speed of the private jet.

Aircraft	Speed
Cessna Citation Longitude	~700 mph (1,130 km/h)
Gulfstream G280	~690 mph (1,110 km/h)
Bombardier Global 5500	~650 mph (1,046 km/h)

Some private jets fly faster than commercial flights, but the travel distance may increase if there is a long-haul flight.

Speed of military Aircraft

Military Aircraft is different from all the above, which are mentioned, because it’s built for speed, agility, and combat. These machines have mind-blowing velocities.

Fighter jet speed

Below are the famous fighter jets:- 

Fighter jets	speed
F-22 Raptor	~1,500 mph (2,414 km/h)
F-16 Fighting Falcon	~1,500 mph (2,414 km/h)
Eurofighter Typhoon	~1,550 mph (2,494 km/h

These jets fly at high Mach speeds. For your knowledge, Mach 1 = 767 mph (1,235 km/h) at sea level.

Why so fast?

Military jets are needed to intercept the enemy’s aircraft or carry out the mission quickly, so speed plays an essential role in these situations.

Supersonic and Hypersonic Aircraft

The sky is not limited, especially for supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. These provide the new gateway to aviation technology.

Let’s figure out the Speed of the Famous Hypersonic Aircraft

Hypersonic Aircraft	speed
Concorde (retired)	~1,350 mph (2,180 km/h), Mach 2.04
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird	~2,193 mph (3,529 km/h), Mach 3.3

How Fast Does a Plane Travel During Takeoff and Landing?

Takeoff and landing are the slowest phases, but they are still faster than the speed of most cars.

Takeoff Speed (Commercial)	Speed is about 150-180mph(240-290km/h)
Landing Speed	It is approx 130-160 mph(210-260km/h)

These factors can vary with aircraft type, weight, and the runway length.

Factors That Affect How Fast a Plane Travels

Aircraft do not always fly at maximum speed. Several factors help aircraft fly faster.

1. Altitude: Altitude is that at which there is the thinnest layer of air, which helps aircraft fly faster with less fuel.
2. Weight: Heavy aircraft need more thrust to fly in the air if the plane’s weight is more than it requires, much fuel, and also affects the acceleration.
3. Wind: There are types of winds on which it depends: tailwind, headwind, and crosswind, where the tailwind increases the groundspeed, headwind decreases the groundspeed.
4. Engine Power: A more powerful engine means more thrust and potentially higher speeds, but at a high fuel cost.
5. Air Traffic Control (ATC): If an airplane could fly faster, the ATC would restrict speeds for safety and scheduling reasons.

Can planes have a speed higher than the speed of sound?

Yes, but only specific aircraft. When an aircraft breaks the sound barrier, it creates a sonic boom. Most commercial planes fly below Mach 1 because safety and cost are the major concerns.

The Future: How Fast Does a Plane Travel?

Each plane has its own speed range and limits. Based on this, companies and initiatives pick the ideal airliner or jet. Let’s break down the different types of jets based on their speed range (at cruising altitude). Take a look.

• Supersonic Commercial Jets: Companies like Boom Supersonic and NASA are working quieter on the faster jets. These planes may cut the transatlantic flight times in half.
• Electric and Hybrid Planes: While not faster, these planes cover the shortest distance for the eco-friendly environment.
• Space Tourism: Flights like those by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin briefly reach speeds over Mach 3 before returning to Earth. These could lead to ultra-fast suborbital travel in the future.

Every aircraft has a different purpose. Whether it’s all about moving passengers with Airlines like Delta and Spirit Airlines, completing military missions, or exploring the future of transportation, as technology advances, the skies may not be limit rather a beginning. 

FAQs