Thomas Bywater is a writer and digital producer for Herald Travel

Aerospace company Bombardier claims its new jet has broken the sound barrier in tests. Almost twenty years after the grounding of Concorde, supersonic air travel may finally be in reach. At least for the wealthy few. The Global 8000 claims to be the "world's fastest and longest-range purpose-built business jet" At tests last year the Canadian plane manufacturer says the jet "repeatably achieved speeds in excess of Mach 1.015". Accompanied by a NASA F/A-18 chase plane, the tests saw the Global 8000 reach speeds which would make it the fastest business jet in the world and the fastest non military plane since Concorde. Although the maximum operating speed sits just below the speed of sound (at Mach 0.94), Bombardier president Éric Martel said the plane is a game changer for long-range private aviation.

"Today, Bombardier solidifies once more its position as the leader in business aviation with the newest member of the industry-leading Global family," said Martel.

The plane is the only 'business jet' to have a range of 8000 nautical miles. This would put Auckland in range of New York and Dubai in a single leg.

Luxurious four compartment cabins are fitted with Bombardier's 'Zero Gravity' Nuage seats - designed to cope with long-haul, near speed of sound travel.

The carbon cost of private jet travel - especially on predicted journeys as long as Perth to London - is enormous. However the company has attempted to curb some of the emissions running the twin GE Passport engines on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The supersonic demonstration was the first civil aviation craft to fly supersonic, powered by SAF.

With first delivery slated for 2025, Bombardier says the program is "progressing to plan" and that many of the new high-speed enhancements will be available to retrofit to older models like the Global 7500.