ATLANTA — Seeing a solar eclipse in its path of totality is a special occasion. Getting to see it from 30,000 feet out of an airplane makes it even more rare.
That's what Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is offering passengers come April, with a special flight that will allow those on board to see the spectacle of a solar eclipse in its full totality.
The solar eclipse will take place on April 8, with peak totality lasting up to four minutes and 28 seconds. That peak time surpasses the length of totality of the last total solar eclipse in the United States back in 2017.
Delta's solar eclipse flight
- The special flight takes off from Austin, Texas, at 12:15 p.m. CST and lands in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. EST -- giving passengers the best chance to see the solar eclipse at its peak safely.
- Delta flight 1218 will be operated on an Airbus A220 -- one of the larger planes in its fleet, -- that allows for easier viewing due to the plane's extra large windows, according to Delta.
- Round-trip flights are listed on Delta's website for $807, with one-way flights selling for $579. You can book your flight on Delta's website here.
“This flight is the result of significant collaboration and exemplifies the close teamwork Delta is known for — from selecting an aircraft with larger windows to determining the exact departure time from Austin and the experiences at the gate and in the air,” said Eric Beck, the managing director of domestic network planning. “Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.”
There are still other flights Delta customers can take to see part of the solar eclipse in its prime viewing hour. They are listed below:
- Detroit-White Plains, New York - 2:59 p.m. EST departure
- Los Angeles-Dallas-Forth Worth - 8:40 a.m. PST departure
- Los Angeles-San Antonio - 9:00 a.m. PST departure
- Salt Lake City-San Antonio - 10:08 a.m. MST departure
- Salt Lake City-Austin, Texas - 9:55 a.m. MST departure
You can view the path of the full 2024 solar eclipse below: