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DALLAS – Fans and eclipse chasers can experience the April 8 total solar eclipse from 30,000 feet in the air aboard a Delta Air Lines (DL) unique path-of-totality flight. The airline will operate flight DL 1218 from Austin (AUS) to Detroit (DTW) on April 8, 2024. The flight will allow umbraphiles to spend as much time as possible directly within the path of totality.
The flight will depart from Austin at 12:15 p.m. CT and land in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. ET. It has been timed to give those on board the best chance of safely viewing the solar eclipse at its peak. The flight will be operated with an A220-300. The aircraft will offer premium views due to its extra-large windows. Passengers are reminded not to forget their protective viewing glasses.
The airline has gone to great lengths to create this experience for fans and passengers. “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. The planning and logistics for such flights require effort and collaboration from many teams from different locations in the United States. Beck said, “Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.”
Total Eclipse on April 8, 2024
The upcoming total eclipse is a memorable event since it will follow a wide path and will be the last total eclipse seen in North America for the next 20 years. “The April 8 eclipse is the last total eclipse we’ll see over North America until 2044,” said Warren Weston, Delta Air Lines Lead Meteorologist. “This eclipse will last more than twice as long as the one that occurred in 2017, and the path is nearly twice as wide.”
It will also be possible to catch the eclipse from the air on several DL flights on the same date. However, these are typically scheduled flights that operate on different routes. Other Delta flights from which passengers should be able to view the eclipse include:
- DL 5699, Detroit (DTW) - Austin (HPN), 2:59 pm EST departure, aboard an Embraer ERJ-175
- DL 924, Los Angeles (LAX) – Dallas (DFW), 8:40 am PST departure on an Airbus A320
- DL 2869, Los Angeles (LAX) – San Antonio (SAT), 9:00 am PST departure, aboard an Airbus A319
- DL 1001, Salt Lake City (SLC) – San Antonio (SAT), 10:08 am MST departure on an Airbus A220-300
- DL 1683, Salt Lake City (SLC)- Austin (AUS), 9:55 am MST departure, aboard an A320
It will also be possible to enjoy this solar event from numerous locations on the ground. Spectators can go to AUS, SAT, and Little Rock (LIT) to catch the natural phenomenon. DL flies to many destinations that are within the path of totality.
Featured image: Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 Wing night view. Photo: Matthew Calise/Airways
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