Concorde's last commercial flight was BA002 on 24 October 2003. See the route, Concorde retirement date and when the aircraft last flew.
Concorde's last commercial flight was British Airways flight BA002 from New York JFK to London Heathrow on 24 October 2003. Operated by Concorde G-BOAG, it landed at Heathrow that afternoon and ended 27 years of scheduled supersonic passenger service. Concorde's final flight of any kind followed on 26 November 2003.
For our Aviation & Real-World Flying reference, we separate the final scheduled service from later farewell, positioning and preservation flights. Treating every post-retirement movement as a commercial flight is the main cause of conflicting Concorde last-flight dates.
Which Concorde last-flight date is correct?
The correct date is 24 October 2003 for the last commercial service worldwide, 31 May 2003 for Air France's final commercial service, and 26 November 2003 for the last time any Concorde became airborne.
| Meaning of “last flight” | Date | Flight or aircraft | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air France's final commercial service | 31 May 2003 | AF001 | New York JFK to Paris Charles de Gaulle |
| Final scheduled commercial Concorde service worldwide | 24 October 2003 | BA002, G-BOAG | New York JFK to London Heathrow |
| Final Concorde flight of any kind | 26 November 2003 | G-BOAF | London Heathrow to Filton |
Why do some sources give 31 May 2003?
31 May 2003 was Air France's last commercial Concorde service, not the worldwide retirement date. British Airways continued carrying Concorde passengers for nearly another five months.
Our account of the ownership and operating roles of British Airways and Air France explains why the two airlines have separate, equally valid withdrawal dates.
What happened on Concorde flight BA002?
BA002 carried fare-paying passengers from New York JFK to London Heathrow aboard British Airways Concorde G-BOAG on 24 October 2003.
BA002 was the flight number; G-BOAG was the aircraft registration. Confusing those identifiers can lead people to assume that every BA002 service used the same aircraft or that G-BOAG never flew again.
British Airways arranged three Concorde arrivals at Heathrow that afternoon, with BA002 joined by two aircraft completing special farewell operations. Photographs therefore show several Concordes landing in succession, but BA002 is recognised as the final scheduled commercial passenger service.
When was Concorde retired?
Concorde is normally recorded as having retired from commercial service on 24 October 2003, when British Airways withdrew the type after BA002. Air France had already ended its passenger operation on 31 May.
Retirement describes the end of airline service, not the instant every aircraft stopped moving. Several Concordes remained capable of flying briefly so they could make non-revenue farewell or preservation deliveries.
When did Concorde last fly?
The last time a Concorde flew was 26 November 2003, when British Airways aircraft G-BOAF travelled from London Heathrow to Filton near Bristol.
This was a non-commercial final flight rather than a scheduled passenger service. Filton was closely associated with Concorde's British development and assembly, making it an appropriate destination for the type's final airborne movement. No Concorde has flown since.
Why did Concorde's commercial service end?
Concorde was retired because falling passenger demand, rising maintenance costs and the expense of supporting a very small specialist fleet made continued operation increasingly difficult. The Air France Flight 4590 crash in 2000 and the aviation downturn following 11 September 2001 both contributed.
The crash did not permanently ground Concorde by itself: the aircraft was modified and returned to passenger service in 2001. Retirement resulted from several operational and economic pressures rather than one unresolved defect. Our full Concorde development, service and retirement chronology sets those events in order.
How can simmers recreate Concorde's last commercial flight?
To recreate BA002, fly a British Airways-liveried Concorde from New York JFK to London Heathrow and use G-BOAG as the registration where the add-on permits it.
- Set the correct identity. Use flight number
BA002, departure airportKJFKand destinationEGLL. The flight number alone does not select Concorde or the correct livery. - Plan an eastbound Atlantic crossing. North Atlantic routings vary with weather and air traffic. A simulator-generated route is suitable for recreating the sector, but should not be presented as BA002's exact historical track without supporting records.
- Do not command Mach 2 after take-off. Concorde remained subsonic near populated land, accelerated over the Atlantic and decelerated before reaching the UK. Our explanation of Concorde's acceleration, Mach 2 cruise and descent profile covers the sequence.
- Follow the add-on's fuel and centre-of-gravity logic. Detailed Concorde models simulate fuel transfer, while simpler aircraft may automate it. For older simulators, a Concorde aircraft package for FSX and Prepar3D provides a starting point; it is not a native Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or 2024 package.