Passengers sell out Delta Air Lines flight offering total solar eclipse viewing flight at 30,000 feet
The April 8 flight from Austin to Detroit is timed to give passengers the best opportunity to view the solar eclipse at its peak safely, the airline said.
Flight to view total solar eclipse sells out in day
Shadow lovers passionate about solar eclipses have sold out a special Delta Air Lines flight departing on April 8 from Austin to Detroit, allowing passengers to experience the path of totality for as long as possible, a spokesman for Delta confirmed to FOX Weather. The flight was completely booked on Tuesday, just one day after news of the special flight was announced.
AUSTIN, Texas – Umbraphiles, get ready to fasten your seat belts for an unforgettable journey 30,000 feet in the air.
Shadow lovers passionate about solar eclipses have sold out a special Delta Air Lines flight departing on April 8 from Austin to Detroit, allowing passengers to experience the path of totality for as long as possible, a spokesman for Delta confirmed to FOX Weather. The flight was completely booked on Tuesday, just one day after news of the special flight was announced.
"This eclipse will last more than twice as long as the one that occurred in 2017, and the path is nearly twice as wide," said Warren Weston, lead meteorologist for Delta Air Lines.
Delta Flight 1218 is scheduled to depart from Austin at 12:15 p.m. CDT and arrive in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. EDT. The flight will be operated specifically on an A220-300 aircraft, which offers premium viewing due to the extra-large windows.
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A Delta airline's aircraft takes off from the Ronald Reagan National airport as the sun rises in Washington, DC, on June 9, 2011.
(JEWEL SAMAD/AFP / Getty Images)
The flight is timed to give passengers the best opportunity to view the solar eclipse at its peak safely, the airline said.
"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, managing director of domestic network planning.
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FILE - The totality stage of the Solar Eclipse over The United States on August 21, 2017 in Jefferson City, Missouri.
(Brian Killian / Getty Images)
Delta travelers will have other prime opportunities to view the eclipse on five additional routes on April 8. Don't forget your protective viewing glasses if you're on these flights:
- DL 5699, DTW-HPN, 2:59 pm EST departure, ERJ-175
- DL 924, LAX-DFW, 8:40 am PST departure, A320
- DL 2869, LAX-SAT, 9:00 am PST departure, A319
- DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 am MST departure, A220-300
- DL 1683, SLC-AUS, 9:55 am MST departure, A320
The April 8 eclipse is the last total eclipse to travel across North America until Aug. 12, 2045.