This spring, on April 8th, the United States is going to experience an incredible total solar eclipse that will span across a significant amount of the country starting in Texas and exiting the continental U.S. around Maine. While Detroit isn’t directly in the path of the total solar eclipse, it will be able to view approximately 99% partial eclipse which will block out “most” of the sun’s light starting at 3:10 pm and will last for about 4 minutes and 28.2 seconds.
However, if you are hoping to turn this historic astronomical event into a bit more of a spectacle, Delta Airlines has a special flight from Austin to Detroit on April 8th, following the path of the total solar eclipse, giving passengers the unique opportunity to get the most time spent inside the total eclipse out of anyone in the country!
What you need to know about the total solar eclipse flight from Austin to Detroit
This flight from Austin to Detroit is Delta flight 1218, which will depart from Austin at 12:15 pm Central Time and land in Detroit at 4:20 pm Eastern Time. The fine details, from the exact time of the departure, which gate the flights will be departing from/arriving at, and even the exact type of plane for the flight were all carefully selected to provide passengers with the most ideal opportunity to view the eclipse from the air for as much time as possible. For instance, the flight will be flown using an Airbus A220-300, which has extra large windows, an additional effort made by Delta to ensure optimal viewing.
Typically, the flight between Austin, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan takes between two to three hours given the time zone change, but according to the expected departure and arrival times, this flight plan will be anything but rushed with an expected duration of 3 hours and 5 minutes.
How do you get a seat?
Currently, the plane is almost completely booked. In fact, as of this morning, only two seats are remaining at the moment according to Delta’s website, which are priced at a hefty $1,150 per seat. So while being able to view the last total solar eclipse to hit the U.S. until 2044 is possible for many Americans from the ground, this flight will be a luxury that most sadly will not be able to enjoy.