See April's Solar Eclipse From the Sky on This Special Delta Flight

Stefanie Waldek
·2 min read

Delta flight 1218 will depart from Austin and land in Detroit on April 8.

<p>Jongsun Lee, Unsplash/Courtesy of Delta Airlines</p>

Jongsun Lee, Unsplash/Courtesy of Delta Airlines

If you don't have solar eclipse plans yet, here's an enticing opportunity to see the astronomical show of the year.

Announced Monday, Delta will be launching a special solar eclipse flight that will fly along the path of totality, allowing passengers to experience the eclipse at 30,000 feet.

Delta flight 1218 will depart from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) at 12:15 p.m. CT and arrive at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) at 4:20 p.m. ET. That route essentially follows the path of totality, maximizing the duration of the eclipse for those in flight.

To enhance the viewing experience even more, Delta will be operating the Airbus A220-300 aircraft on this special flight, which also bolsters the viewing experience — the plane has extra-large windows to let in extra natural light. Or, in the case of the eclipse, extra darkness!

"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,” Eric Beck, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers."

With just 130 seats on the aircraft, we're sure the flight will sell out quickly. But you can try your luck booking the flight at Delta.com. And if that flight is fully booked, Delta is also operating five other flights that will cross the path of totality during the eclipse:

  • DL 5699, DTW-HPN, 2:59 p.m. ET departure

  • DL 924, LAX-DFW, 8:40 a.m. PT departure

  • DL 2869, LAX-SAT, 9:00 a.m. PT departure

  • DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 a.m. MT departure

  • DL 1683, SLC-AUS, 9:55 a.m. MT departure

If you're one of the lucky ones on any of these flights, don't forget to pack your solar eclipse glasses in your carry-on so you can look at the sun safely!

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