As we buckle our seatbelts and settle in for our flight to somewhere magical, it may sometimes pass our minds how fast the aircraft is rattling down the runway and what our cruising speed might be as we tuck into our in-flight film and meals. Today, we will break it down and understand how fast various aircraft types can travel in the air and on the ground. First, it's essential to know that the altitude at which an aircraft will aim to travel can depend on everyone's overall weight, the cargo onboard, weather conditions, and the aircraft itself.