Delta Air Lines has revealed that it’s offering a special flight for travelers who want to experience a total solar eclipse from the sky. On April 8, Delta flight 1218 will depart from Austin and land in Detroit, offering passengers a chance to view the solar eclipse “at its peak,” promises Delta.
It comes in the wake of the announcement of precisely-timed Southwest Airlines flights on April 8 from Dallas to Pittsburgh, Austin to Indianapolis and St Louis to Houston.
“This flight is the result of significant collaboration and exemplifies the close teamwork Delta is known for,” said Eric Beck, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning. “Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.”
There’s a saying among eclipse chasers: from the ground you experience an eclipse and from a plane you merely see it. However, what you can see from 30,000 ft. is highly sought-after.
See The Moon’s Shadow
Only from a plane is it possible to easily see the moon’s shadow approaching—particularly if there are clouds below—but a private jet experience is very expensive. On April 8, specialist eclipse flight company T.E.I. Tours & Travel will fly two Cessna Citation X private jets from Kerrville, Texas to Mexico and literally chase the eclipse, extending totality from 4 minutes 26 seconds below to 6 minutes and 50 seconds.
This “Umbracept” experience costs in the region of $9,750 per person. At the time of writing, seats in the main cabin of Delta flight 1218 cost $1,357.
Clear Skies Guaranteed
Delta’s offering isn’t anywhere near as exclusive, of course, but for some eclipse chasers, this may seem like an unmissable opportunity. After all, being at 30,000 ft. will guarantee clear skies. With the odds of clear skies on April 8 on the ground at best 50/50 in the U.S. and Canada, it’s possible that passengers on flight 1218 will be some of the only people who get a clear view of the totally eclipsed sun.
However, this opportunity comes with huge unknowns that first-time eclipse chasers, in particular, should be trying to avoid.
Window Of Opportunity?
Delta flight 1218 will depart from Austin at 12:15 p.m. CDT and land in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. EDT on April 8. The flight path will essentially follow the path of totality, which is just 115 miles wide and will track from Texas through Maine, via Ohio and Lake Erie.
You must be within the path to see totality—stray outside of it, and all you get is a view of a partially eclipsed sun. Austin is in the path of totality and will see an eclipsed sun at 13:36 CDT. Detroit is not, but it’s only 60 miles north of Toledo, Ohio, which will see totality at 15:12 EDT. So it’s likely that passengers on Delta flight 1218 will see the totally eclipsed sun over Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois or Indiana.
Window Seats Only
Or will they? Delta says it will operate the flight using an A220-300, which has extra-large windows. That should help passengers in the window seat on one side of the plane see the eclipse—which at about 53 to 63 degrees will be up to two-thirds of the way up the sky from horizon to zenith above. The totally eclipsed sun will be visible in the south-southwestern sky. The A220-300 has two seats (A and C) on the left-hand side and three on the right-hand side (D, E and F).
The bottom line is this: only passengers sitting at a window seat on the left-hand side of the plane will have any chance of seeing it unless the pilot performs exquisitely timed loops. It would also help if he banks the place to bring the eclipsed sun lower.
No Guarantees
What if you’re not in a window seat? What if you’re in a window seat, but on the wrong side, or in the middle? I approached Delta for comment and was told only that it is possible to book a window seat.
Delta’s press release states that the flight is “timed to give those on board the best chance of safely viewing the solar eclipse at its peak.” That’s reassuring in some ways, but the key phrase is “the best chance” and “safely”—flights are all about safety, of course, not ensuring everyone in the plane gets a good view.
Southwest Airlines has been similarly non-commital, stating that some of its scheduled flights “offer the best opportunities for a potential view of this breathtaking sight.”
Nothing is guaranteed on these flights, as underlined by the insertion at the end of Delta’s press release of this statement:
“While Delta flight plans have been designed to maximize time within the path of totality, this is subject to change due to factors outside of Delta’s control such as weather and air traffic control that could impact timing and aircraft.”
That’s the kicker. The flight could be delayed. You could be inside an airport when totality strikes—and Austin-Bergstrom International is not in the path of totality. At 99.97%, it’s close, but it won’t go dark nor afford the sight of a totally eclipsed sun.
Control Your Own Eclipse
If you’ve seen dozens of total solar eclipses and fancy a unique and affordable way to view another, Delta’s flight 1218 is perfect for you—if you can grab a window seat on the left-hand side and are prepared for the entire trip to fail for multiple reasons outside of your control.
For everyone else, the best place to be on April 8 is obvious: be inside the path of totality at a location predicted by weather forecasts to have clear skies. A total solar eclipse is such a rare and beautiful thing to experience—why take a chance with it?
For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse in North America, check my main feed for new articles each day.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.