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How high do commercial planes fly?

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Commercial planes typically cruise at altitudes between 36,000 and 40,000 feet. Most airliners are not allowed to fly higher than 45,000 feet. The highest altitude recorded for a commercial flight was set by the Concorde, which ascended to 60,000 feet. read more

John Cox , Special for USA TODAY Published 6:02 p.m. ET Feb. 2, 2014 | Updated 6:08 p.m. ET Feb. 2, 2014 Commercial aircraft are certified for a maximum altitude, but the limit is exceeded slightly during test flights. read more

This means the aircraft can travel at very fast speeds (about 600 mph or 1000 kmph) whilst burning far less fuel than it would do at lower altitude. As fuel accounts for a big percentage of the airlines costs, it is important to keep the fuel burn to a minimum, which in helps turn keeps ticket prices low. read more

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How high do commercial planes fly? | Reference.com
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