Alaska Airlines Offers Free Flight To View Total Solar Eclipse

Alaska Airlines announced it will give away two tickets to its flight over the Pacific Ocean during the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, according to a press release Monday.

The last time the United States experienced a total solar eclipse, coast-to-coast, was in 1918, according to the Associated Press. The total solar eclipse occurred because the moon completely covers the sun. The upcoming eclipse has been dubbed “The Great American Eclipse.”

Read: Total Solar Eclipse August 2017: What It Is, How And Where To See It

Alaska Airlines announced the flight will be invitation-only, allowing for members of the astronomy community and “eclipse chasers” to view the eclipse from a 35,000-foot altitude. Although the airline planned for the flight to be invitation-only, starting on July 21, it will be raffling two tickets for the Aug. 21 flight.

“We are in a unique position to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for astronomy enthusiasts. Flying high above the Pacific Ocean will not only provide one of the first views, but also one of the best,” Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing, said in a press release Monday.

The airline scheduled the flight’s departure from Portland International Airport in Oregon at 7:30 a.m. PDT on Aug. 21. The planned route will steer the plane over the Pacific Coast.

In an email to Space.com, Alaska Airlines spokesperson Halley Knigge explained the seating arrangement plan the airline developed:

“We don’t yet know how many people will be on board,” she said in the email. “The aircraft has capacity for 181 guests, but we are limiting the seats available to provide an optimal viewing experience for those on board. It’s safe to say there will be fewer than 100 people on the flight, including crew.”

For those who wanted to watch the flight, but will not be able to secure tickets, there are other locations to experience totality, or total darkness.

Totality will stretch through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Although the passengers of the Alaska Airlines flight have a height advantage, even they will not be able to keep up with the eclipse — projected to move at speeds ranging from 1,500 mph to 2,900 mph.

Read: Solar Eclipse 2017: Should Cats, Dogs Wear Eclipse Glasses For Eye Protection?

Those who have planned to watch the eclipse should take the necessary precautions, such as buying eclipse-viewing glasses to protect their eyes during the event.

The eclipse’s path can be followed with this interactive Google map created by Xavier Jubier, French eclipse-watcher and a member of the International Astronomical Union’s eclipse outreach group.