Delta Air Lines has released tickets for a second special total eclipse chasing flight after its first sold out in less than 24 hours and after witnessing a massive 1,500% spike in flight searches for the ‘path of totality’ service.
The next total solar eclipse is due to cross North America on April 8, and while a partial solar eclipse will be visible in all 48 contiguous U.S. states, a path of totality will only be visible in a relatively thin ribbon crossing from Texas to Maine.
Delta identified a regularly scheduled flight between Austin and Detroit that would follow this path of totality for pretty much the entire time it was in the air, giving customers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the total solar eclipse for as long as possible.
This flight proved so popular that Delta has decided to create a special flight just for the purpose of viewing the solar eclipse which will operate between Dallas Fort Worth and Detroit on April 8.
Delta flight DL1010 will depart Dallas Fort Worth just as the total solar eclipse is starting at around 12:30 pm and follow the narrow band of totality before landing in Detroit at 4:20 pm.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun, and according to Delta Lead Meteorologist Warren Weston, the April 8 total solar eclipse will be the last one over North America until 2044.
What makes the April 8 solar eclipse even more special is the fact that it will last more than twice as long as the one that occurred in 2017, and the path is nearly twice as wide.
Delta is using an Airbus A220 for its path of totality flight from Austin, while the flight from Dallas Fort Worth will be on a larger Airbus A321 with capacity for more passengers.
