Delta Airlines is offering a special flightpath that will put its passengers right in the heart of the upcoming total solar eclipse in April, scheduled to coincide with the peak of the rare event.
The airline announced that Delta flight 1218 from Austin, Texas to Detroit, Michigan will align with the path of totality for the eclipse, giving passengers an intense view of the shielded Sun from the air. The flight will depart on Monday, April 8 at 1:15 p.m. ET and land at 4:20 p.m. ET, while the eclipse is expected to begin at 1:58 p.m. ET and peak around 3:14 p.m. ET in Detroit.
Aside from timing the flight so that it crosses the path of totality, when the Moon is completely blocking the face of the Sun, the aircraft will be an Airbus A220-300, which is equipped with extra large windows. The sky will be completely dark for nearly four minutes as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, according to NASA.
Tickets for the flight sold out fast, with two remaining seats available at a hefty price tag of $1,129 for a one-way trip on Tuesday morning that were later snagged by time of publishing. If you weren’t one of the lucky ones who grabbed a seat on that flight, there are other Delta flights on that same day with chances of viewing the eclipse, namely one from Detroit to Westchester County that departs at 2:59 p.m. ET, and two from Los Angeles, California to Dallas and San Antonio, Texas.
April’s solar eclipse will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. until 2044. When viewing the eclipse, it’s important to do so through special solar viewing glasses to avoid damaging your eyes.
