An Etihad Airlines Airbus A380 flies across the sun en route to New York city from Abu Dhabi during … [+]
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With less than a month to go until an annular solar eclipse is visible in the U.S., flights to key airports are surging in popularity.
Online travel agent Opodo has revealed exclusively in an email that searches on its platform for seven airports in or close to the path of the “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse are all up significantly year-on-year.
Dramatic Rise
The popularity of flights to key airports for the upcoming annular solar eclipse in the U.S. is surging.
Opodo, an online travel agent, has reported a significant increase in searches for seven airports that are in or near the path of the “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse, compared to the previous year.
Big Increases
Among the airports experiencing a surge in flight searches are Albuquerque in New Mexico, Denver in Colorado, Salt Lake City in Utah, Las Vegas in Nevada, Portland in Oregon, Austin and San Antonio in Texas.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico: 115% increase in domestic U.S. flights and 64% increase in searches from U.K. airports.
- Denver, Colorado: 18% increase in domestic U.S. flights.
- Salt Lake City, Utah: 27% increase in domestic U.S. flights.
- Las Vegas, Nevada: 38% increase in domestic U.S. flights and 17% increase in searches from U.K. airports.
- Portland, Oregon: 23% increase in domestic U.S. flights.
- Austin, Texas: 22% increase in domestic U.S. flights and 22% increase in searches from U.K. airports.
- San Antonio, Texas: 44% increase in domestic U.S. flights and 59% increase in searches from U.K. airports.
The full path of the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023.
Fly-in Fly-Out Eclipse Cities
Albuquerque and San Antonio are the top destinations for eclipse enthusiasts due to their proximity to the path of the “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse.
Las Vegas is also seeing a significant increase in flight searches, as it is located near the path through Utah, which offers access to several popular destinations such as Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Kodachrome State Park.
Plan Ahead
Visitors planning to travel to Utah and other backcountry locations should be prepared as facilities and resources may be limited. It is advisable to bring essentials such as fuel, food, cash, toilet paper, and ice, as they may not be readily available at the destination.
Additionally, it is worth noting that businesses in the Four Corners region, which includes parts of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, may have limited operating hours and closures in the morning due to Navajo employees. Travelers should follow the Visit With Respect guidelines.
I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of “The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024.”
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
