6 Airbus A380

Airbus A380 reaches Mach 0.85. Most modern jets now reach this speed limit. Even though the production of A380 ends in 2020, around 15 airlines still fly A380s.The seat around 400 to 550 passengers. 

Airbus 380, released in 2005, was a new step of Airbus company into the superjumbo business that Boeing has been dominating for over 30 years. Passengers loved the aircraft because travel on it fit into their budgets, and they enjoyed the size of the aircraft. The aircraft did not prove a complete success as logistic issues kept happening. 

Major changes were accommodated on the aircraft to fit the massive jumbo jet to the runways with its 262-foot-long wingspan and 873 passenger capacity. Singapore Airlines followed by Emirates were the first ones to put down an order and get some delivered for routes such as Singapore to Sydney. By 2019, there were 242 A380s spanning over 14 airlines, the smallest operator being one from Maltese called Hi-Fly. (1, 2)

7 Convair 990 Coronado

Convair 990, during its prototype demonstration in 1961, was able to attain a speed of Mach 0.97, which was the fastest true airspeed ever attained then. Some drag-reduction changes were done for the final aircraft for performance guarantees, which brought that maximum speed down to Mach 0.84. 

Convair 990 was a narrow-body jet aircraft that was made for larger passenger capacity as compared to its predecessor, the 880. The aircraft was developed for American airlines to cut off the time required for coast-to-coast flights. But the aircraft never lived up to the promise and as a result, had to restrict the number of orders. 

The niche was then later adapted by Boeing in its 720 and 720B models. By this time, the Convair 990A was doing many long-hauls to the Far East. The aircraft used four General Electric CJ805-23B turbofan engines with a maximum speed of 620 mph. Only 37 990s were produced, and General Dynamics had to shut down afterward paving way for Douglas DC’s and other aircraft from Boeing. (1, 2)

8 Convair 880

The Convair 880 was produced by the Convair Division to compete with the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8. When it was first introduced, it was the fastest jet transport in the world. The production was shut down after three years into production to make way for the faster variant, the 990. 

Built by the Convair Division of General Dynamics, the aircraft was in service from 1964 to 1973. It was the fastest four-engine jet until the 747 came into the picture. The aircraft has broken its own speed record more than once, but the fastest was going 715 mph on a flight from Chicago to Miami. It never was used much in commercial flight as the seating was unattractive for airliners. 

The company lost around $185 million on this project. There had been five hijackings and 17 accidents with this aircraft that was considered to be the fastest passenger airplane at the time. The manufacturer later came up with an M version of the 880 but later started working with the 990 project, which was a more successful successor of the 880. (1, 2)

9 Cessna Citation X

Cessna Citation X was made for private business jets and could carry up to seven passengers. It has achieved a top speed of 700 mph. While Boeing 747s are the fastest commercial jet, private jets like these travel much faster. This jet has reached Mach 0.92. 

While Boeing 747s still holds the record for the fastest commercial aircraft, private jets are much faster. The Cessna Citation X is one of the fastest passenger airplanes. It is a subsonic and cross-continental private jet with sleek swept wings and powerful engines. It can travel 700 mph with just 39 gallons of fuel, which is much more fuel-efficient than most private jets going at that speed. 

The aircraft is optimized in every way. The flight can fly up to 48,000 feet and gives an unfathomable passenger experience. Long cabins and short runway performance, along with the necessity for only a single pilot, contribute to this private jet’s efficiency. The noise fatigue is also well handled in a Cessna Citation X. (1, 2)

10 Dassault Falcon 7X

Falcon 7X is powered by three jet engines, and they are one of the two tri-jets and the first business jet to use fighter-jet technology. Around 270 of them are in use in around 41 countries, currently. The fuel consumption of the Falcon 7X is 15-30% less than other private jets in the same class. 

It is a three-crew, 14-passenger aircraft that can travel at an operating speed of 0.9 Mach. Falcon 7X has a range of up to 11,000 km. It also features a high-tech wing and glass cockpit. The 7X utilizes fighter-jet design to be quieter in the cabins. It is very effective for long-range. Falcon 7X is considered the world’s most advanced business jet aircraft. It can do long flights or multiple short flights without having to refuel. 

The fuel efficiency of this jet has dramatically increased the operational costs. It can fly 5,950 nautical miles that can link cities such as Paris to Tokyo, New York to Jeddah, etc. The Dassault Falcon 7X is indeed the benchmark for the 21st century. (1, 2)