GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Delta has set a special flight for astronomy lovers as the U.S. prepares for a total solar eclipse.
The eclipse will sweep across parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada on Monday, April 8, bringing several minutes of darkness to areas within the path of totality. Those outside the path of totality will see a partial eclipse. All 48 contiguous states will see some percentage of totality.
The Delta flight is scheduled to take off from Austin, Texas around 12:15 p.m. central time and land in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. eastern time. Delta officials say the hope is for the plane to be in the path of totality for as long as possible, although weather or air traffic control could impact that.
To offer a better view of this once-in-a-lifetime event, the plane will have extra-large windows.
Delta staff said the flight was curated for the best viewing experience.
“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. “Thanks to teams across the company, the idea of viewing a total eclipse from the air will become a reality for our customers.”
As of Tuesday morning, only one seat remained on the flight, going for a whopping $1,129. For more information on the flight, click here.
West Michigan will see about 93% totality for around an hour, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Another total solar eclipse will not be seen in the United States until 2044.
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