This is how much it cost to fly on Concorde back in the 1970s

An airfare list from the 1970s shows how much it would have cost to fly on a Concorde transatlantic flight with one-way trips costing a little over $1,100. 

The supersonic planes, which first took to the skies back in September 1973, were so fast they set records that have still not been beaten to this day.

In fact, in 1996 Concorde managed to set the record for the fastest transatlantic passenger flight – flying from New York to London in two hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds.

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Concorde became a hit with the rich and famous

Not only were they fast but flying Concorde was also a rather luxurious experience, which meant it was popular among the world’s rich and famous. 

Over the years, famous faces including Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney, Joan Collins, and the late Princess Diana, all climbed aboard the planes. 

Singer Phil Collins was able to perform at two concerts in two different countries on the same day, thanks to the super-quick flight times. 

Naturally, all of this came at a price and an airfare list dating back to the 1970s shows exactly how much you’d be expected to part with.

Shared on Quora by a user named Robert Charles Lee, the airfare list details flight times and costs between 1979 and 1980. 

How much did it cost to travel aboard the planes?

A one-way trip from London to New York would have cost you $1,113 (£608.50); one-way to Dallas/ Fort Worth would have set you back $1,229 (£674.50); to Washington, it was $1,177 (£611.50); if you wanted a return journey then the price was simply doubled. 

Adjusting for inflation means that ‘today’s price’ for a one-way from London to New York would be around $4,984 or $9,976 for a return. 

The list also noted that all fares were ‘subject to fuel surcharge increases’.

Although the planes were grounded for good in October 2003 – and no supersonic commercial planes have taken flight since – Concorde will hold a place in the aviation history books forever. 

The planes had a maximum cruising speed of 2,179 km (1,354 miles) per hour, or Mach 2.04 – more than twice the speed of sound – meaning it could fly between London and New York in around three hours. 

For context, the fastest ever sub-sonic time on that route was set on February 9 2020 at four hours and 56 minutes.