Delta Air Lines has announced a special flight, number 1218, scheduled to travel from Austin, Texas, to Detroit on April 8. This unique flight experience is set to coincide with a total solar eclipse visible across North and Central America on the same day. The eclipse will be visible for several minutes between 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time, with the special Delta flight offering passengers the opportunity to spend time directly within the path of totality.

Lead meteorologist at Delta Air Lines, Warren Weston, highlighted that the upcoming eclipse will last more than twice as long as the 2017 eclipse and that the path is nearly twice as wide. The flight will utilize an aircraft with large windows - an A220-300 - allowing passengers to have a prime viewing experience. Despite flight 1218 selling out within 24 hours, other Delta passengers on various April 8 flights will also have the chance to witness the eclipse and are encouraged to bring protective viewing glasses.

Southwest Airlines has also previously announced several scheduled flights that are expected to provide a good view of the eclipse. Alaska Airlines similarly offered a special flight during the 2017 eclipse.

For those eager to catch a glimpse of this natural phenomenon, NASA advises that it is safest to watch a solar eclipse through solar viewing glasses or a handheld solar viewer. The agency also emphasizes that the best way to witness a total eclipse is from the ground with a cloud-free sky.

The path of totality for the upcoming eclipse will run from Mexico through the U.S. and into Canada, with viewers outside of this path experiencing a partial eclipse. With the next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous U.S. not expected for another 20 years, the opportunity to witness this celestial event from an airplane presents a truly unique experience.