The total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada is playing havoc with the prices of hotels in some unlikely destinations.
Room rates during the eclipse period have increased by an average of $175, with Buffalo in New York experiencing a 492% hike, according to data from Amadeus Demand360.
Research out this month from GreatAmericanEclipse.com indicates that up to four million people could travel to the path of totality, making it the most significant travel event of the year.
Path Of Totality Explained
The path of totality is the moon’s 115-mile-wide central shadow, which will fall on minimal parts of 15 U.S. states on April 8. Only those within the path will experience darkness and a once-in-a-lifetime view of the sun’s spiky white puter atmosphere—its corona—for up to 4 minutes 26 seconds. Everyone else in North America will see just a partial solar eclipse.
The path of totality will cross parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. In the U.S., about 31 million people live within the path of totality. Another 10 million live within its boundaries in Mexico and Canada.
Rush On Rooms
The spectacle is causing a rush on hotel rooms in some unlikely places not used for tourism, particularly in early April. Figures from December 14 indicate that average occupancy across nine cities—Dallas Fort Worth, Little Rock, Poplar Bluff, Paducah, Evansville, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo and Burlington—have risen from an average of 5% on April 1 to an average of 59% on April 7, the night before the eclipse. Erie and Burlington have seen 83% and 80% of their hotel rooms booked already, respectively.
Book Early
“Even with more capacity and choice on offer, larger cities like Dallas and Cleveland have seen their occupancies rise by over 500% and rates have risen by over 390% over the days of the eclipse,” said Katie Moro, Vice President of Data Partnerships for Hospitality at Amadeus, in a press statement. “Solar enthusiasts need to book early to avoid missing out!”
Price Spike
Amadeus Demand360 also reports that average room rates have spiked throughout the eclipse period, averaging $175 more than was charged on the same day in 2023. In Buffalo, rooms are going for $420 per night, 492% more than what was charged in 2023. This is a very targeted rate rise, however, with hoteliers charging on average 412% more on April 7 than on April 1.
I’m an expert on eclipses—the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024. For the very latest on the “ring of fire” solar eclipse—including travel and lodging options—check my main feed for new articles each day.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.