Top Flight Routes to Experience the 2025 Total Solar Eclipse with Southwest Airlines

There will be plenty of spots across the United States to watch the next total solar eclipse in 2024, but one of the best viewing spots may be from the sky.

Southwest Airlines recently shared that it will operate three flights next year that have the greatest likelihood of giving customers on board a perfect view of the event (with special solar eclipse glasses, of course):

• Southwest Flight #1252: departs Dallas (Love Field) at 12:45 p.m. CDT for Pittsburgh
• Southwest Flight #1721: departs Austin at 12:50 p.m. CDT for Indianapolis
• Southwest Flight #1910: departs St. Louis at 1:20 p.m. CDT for Houston (Hobby)

These flights may also cross the path of totality during their scheduled operating times:

• Southwest Flight #955 departs Dallas (Love Field) at 12:50 p.m. CDT for Chicago (Midway)
• Southwest Flight #506: departs Milwaukee at 1:05 p.m. CDT for Dallas (Love Field)
• Southwest Flight #1734: departs Houston (Hobby) at 1:35 p.m. CDT for Indianapolis
• Southwest Flight #1682: departs Chicago (Midway) at 1:30 p.m. CDT for Austin
• Southwest flight #3108: departs Nashville at 1:40 p.m. CDT for Dallas (Love Field)

The total solar eclipse — dubbed the Great American Eclipse — is expected to cross the country from Texas all the way to Maine on April 8, 2024, occurring at different times depending on where in the country people are. It also comes on the heels of the annular eclipse, which crossed over parts of the U.S. this past weekend.

“[This weekend’s] annular solar eclipse was an exciting sneak-peak of the total solar eclipse occurring next year, and our Meteorology and Network Planning Teams identified the best opportunities for a potential view of this breathtaking sight,” David Dillahunt, the chief meteorologist at Southwest Airlines, said in a statement. “With our flight schedule, we’re able to offer hundreds of seats in the sky to view the eclipse, and we look forward to showcasing our Hospitality on this day while celebrating with our Customers.”

You should never look directly at a solar eclipse. Instead, travelers can view the 2024 event through special solar eclipse glasses for optimal safety.

Beyond seeing it from the sky, travelers can view the celestial event, which is expected to start in Texas and then move northeast over the country, from several cities along the way like Sulphur Springs, Texas, Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and New York’s Finger Lakes region. Travelers can also view it from a cruise ship, including on two solar eclipse cruise itineraries from Holland America.