Good news for astronomy lovers — after selling out its first special flight in under 24 hours, Delta is giving customers a second shot at a sky view of the eclipse in the path of totality, this time out of Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) on April 8.
Delta flight 1010 will depart from DFW at 12:30 p.m. CT and arrive in Detroit together with the other path-of-totality flight (DL 1218 from AUS to DTW) at 4:20 p.m. ET*.
Following the Mon., Feb. 19 announcement of the first path-of-totality flight, searches for flights from AUS-DTW on Delta channels spiked by more than 1,500%**.
DL 1010 will be operated on an A321neo — a larger plane than the AUS-DTW A220-300 — to allow more customers to experience the eclipse path of totality. The A321neo is Delta’s most fuel-efficient aircraft featuring 20 domestic First Class seats, 42 Delta Comfort+ seats and 132 Main Cabin seats, all with memory foam cushioning for improved comfort.
*While Delta flight plans have been designed to maximize time within the path of totality, this is subject to change due to factors outside of Delta’s control such as weather and air traffic control that could impact timing and aircraft.
**Searches on Tues., Feb. 20, as compared to the average search volume between Feb. 1-18.
The airline is offering a special flight from Austin to Detroit on April 8, 2024, specifically for umbraphiles to be able to spend as much time as possible directly within the path of totality.
Delta flight 1218 will be specifically operated on an A220-300, which will offer especially premium viewing due to the aircraft’s extra-large windows. The flight will depart from Austin at 12:15 p.m. CT and land in Detroit at 4:20 p.m. ET — timed to give those on board the best chance of safely viewing the solar eclipse at its peak.*
“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.”
Even if you aren’t on this special flight, Delta travelers will also have prime eclipse-viewing opportunities on five additional routes on April 8, so don’t forget your protective viewing glasses if you’re on these flights:
- DL 5699, DTW-HPN, 2:59 pm EST departure, ERJ-175
- DL 924, LAX-DFW, 8:40 am PST departure, A320
- DL 2869, LAX-SAT, 9:00 am PST departure, A319
- DL 1001, SLC-SAT, 10:08 am MST departure, A220-300
- DL 1683, SLC-AUS, 9:55 am MST departure, A320
And for those who would rather catch the solar event from the ground, Delta flies to many destinations that are within the path of totality, including AUS, San Antonio (SAT), and Little Rock, Ark. (LIT).
Delta Air Lines aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):
