Civilian supersonic flight may not have made its anticipated revival yet but there's still a need for speed as shown by Bombardier, which has announced that its Global 8000 business jet is entering service with a claimed top speed of Mach 0.95.
Before Concorde was retired in 2003, it routinely reached a top speed of Mach 2.04 – and that was just the top authorized speed. Its massive Olympus engines could have pushed the envelope further but to go any faster would have heated the airframe beyond safety limits.
Today, while a new generation of supersonic transports is under development, civilian aviation is consigned to speeds below that of sound, though some business jets can go over Mach 0.9-and-a-bit. That may not be quite supersonic, but it is well inside the transonic range where an aircraft is going so fast that some parts of it could go supersonic at some point.
On December 8, 2025, Canadian aerospace firm Bombardier announced that its new Global 8000 business jet is entering service at what it claims to be a top speed of Mach 0.95, which puts it ahead of its nearest competitor, the Gulfstream 700 that could only manage Mach 0.935.
Aside from speed, the Global 8000 picks up a few other prize cups on the way out. Its official range is 8,000 nautical miles (9,206 miles, 14,816 km) – the longest range for a business jet in that speed range with a four-cabin layout. With a service ceiling of 41,000 ft (12,000 m), it boasts the lowest altitude cabin pressure, equivalent to 2,691 ft (860 m). In addition to a bevy of luxury goodies, it has an advanced wing design with leading-edge slats that provides takeoff and landing performance comparable to that of a light jet, enabling it to have access to up to 30% more airports than its closest competitor.
If you fancy one, it will put you back a cool US$78 million at estimated base price, so check your piggy bank.
"Pride and excitement only begin to describe what the entry-into-service of the Global 8000 means for all 18,000 of us at Bombardier," said Éric Martel, President and CEO, Bombardier. "Every innovation and every detail of the Global 8000 reflects the hard work, creativity and dedication of our teams. This revolutionary aircraft is redefining the business aviation landscape with its innovative design, signature smooth ride, unmatched performance and a promise fulfilled to our customers."
Source: Bombardier
Editor's note (Dec. 14, 2025): This article originally listed the top speed of the Global 8000 as Mach 9.5 and the Gulfstream 700 as Mach 9.35. These figures were incorrect due to the misplaced decimal points. We apologize for the errors, which have now been corrected, and thank the readers who pointed out them out.
