3-Hour A220 Flight Offers Constant Look at Stellar Phenomena

Delta Air Lines will be offering passengers a chance to view the upcoming solar eclipse from the air, using an Airbus A220-300 with "premium viewing, extra-large windows" to follow the path of the eclipse at its peak.

Delta Flight DL 1218 will take off from Austin, Texas at 12:15 Central, and land in Detroit, Michigan at 16:20 Eastern, following a track that will provide them with the greatest exposure to the eclipse throughout the flight. That is subject, as always, to ATC routing, weather, and assorted variables.

“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.”

Delta notes that a few more flights will have less thorough exposure to the eclipse, but should offer a little extra fun for those traveling aboard.

“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.”

FMI: www.delta.com