Commercial Airline Cruising Speed (1930-2020)

This chart shows airline speeds jumped fast from 1930 to 1970… then flatlined around 500 mph for 45+ years. Once aircraft hit “fast enough,” airlines shifted from speed to comfort, price, and experience.

The Marketing Lesson

When your product hits “good enough,” stop obsessing over specs and start optimizing for customer happiness. Growth often comes from the experience around the product, not the product itself.

Why It Works

• Diminishing returns: more speed costs way more but adds little value.
• Buyers care more about convenience, comfort, and affordability.
• Innovation layered on stabilization feels fresh but practical.

Examples

• iPhone upgrades focus on cameras and AI, not faster CPUs.
• Netflix stopped bragging about HD—it’s now all about recommendations.
• Peloton sells community, not just workout gear.
• Toyota Prius didn’t chase speed—it sold efficiency and trust.