Delta flight offers front-row seats to the upcoming total solar eclipse

Adriana Diaz
·3 min read
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Delta Airlines plane, solar eclipse, and people watching a solar eclipse
Delta Airlines is now offering passengers a special flight to enjoy a deluxe view of the upcoming Great American Eclipse on April 8 -- the last one for decades.

A total eclipse of the plane.

Delta Airlines is now offering passengers a special flight to enjoy a deluxe view of the upcoming Great American Eclipse — the last one for decades.

The eclipse is set to cross North America on April 8 as the moon passes between the sun and Earth completely blocking the face of the sun and darkening the sky.

For a unique experience, Delta Airlines will allow passengers to board their flight to view the phenomenon at 30,000 feet, the airline announced in a press release.

The flight will take off from Austin at 12:15 pm CT and land in Detroit at 4:20 pm ET to allow passengers “to spend as much time as possible directly within the path of totality” and “the best chance of safely viewing the solar eclipse at its peak.”

Flight 1218 will use an Airbus A220-300 plane, which has extra-large windows to allow for “premium viewing.”

Five additional Delta flights taking off from Detriot, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City will also offer rare eclipse views.

Inside their carry-on or personal item, passengers are advised to pack protective viewing glasses to shield their eyes from any possible damage.

Experts have warned it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection other than the brief total phase when the moon completely blocks the sun’s rays. Doing so could instantly cause severe eye injury.

The flight will take off from Austin at 12:15 pm CT and land in Detroit at 4:20 pm ET. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The flight will take off from Austin at 12:15 pm CT and land in Detroit at 4:20 pm ET. NurPhoto via Getty Images

To view the partial phases of the solar eclipse experts advise using “eclipse glasses” or using an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector.​

“The April 8 eclipse is the last total eclipse we’ll see over North America until 2044,” said Warren Weston, Delta Air Lines Lead Meteorologist.

“This eclipse will last more than twice as long as the one that occurred in 2017, and the path is nearly twice as wide.”

This eclipse is expected to begin being visible along Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 am PDT and exit North America’s view along the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 pm NDT.

Viewers in the US will get the best views in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine throughout the day.

Inside their carry-on or personal items, passengers are advised to pack protective viewing glasses to shield their eyes from any possible damage. AFP via Getty Images
Inside their carry-on or personal items, passengers are advised to pack protective viewing glasses to shield their eyes from any possible damage. AFP via Getty Images

Five additional routes will allow skygazers to view the solar eclipse:

  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 2:59 pm EST to Westchester County Airport

  • Los Angeles International Airport 8:40 am PST to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

  • Los Angeles International Airport 9:00 am PST to San Antonio International Airport

  • Salt Lake City International Airport 10:08 am MST to San Antonio International Airport

  • Salt Lake City International Airport 9:55 am MST to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport