An easterly jetstream that reached more than 250 m.p.h. propelled a commercial airliner that left Washington, DC late Saturday night to reach London nearly 45 minutes early after it reached speeds nearing 840 m.p.h. during the flight, CBS News reports, one of a number of eastbound flights to top 800 m.p.h. this weekend. For comparison, the now-retired Concorde would reach top speeds of 1,300 m.p.h.
While the quicker flights were advantageous for scheduling, pilots reported more turbulence for the flights. And while the jetstream is an aid to those planes going to Europe, the planes flying to North America from Europe run into greater headwinds even if they are outside the most powerful band of winds. (For the record, the planes technically did not break the sound barrier at around 767 m.p.h. because the planes did not surpass that speed in comparison to the air current around them.)