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What it was like to watch the solar eclipse from more than 35,000 feet in the sky

Passengers cheer as Southwest Flight 1910 departs highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.
Michael B. Thomas
Passengers cheer as Southwest Flight 1910 departs highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

While earthbound eclipse watchers Monday kept an eye on the weather forecast and hoped for clear skies, some found a different view: above the clouds, on a plane passing through the zone of totality.

The scene at Lambert International Airport’s Gate E-14 was festive, with balloons, cookies and hula hoop contests greeting travelers.

Many had traveled to St. Louis to board an early afternoon flight for Houston, one of three flights Southwest Airlines officials identified as offering the best chance to view the total solar eclipse from midair.

“We had to take a flight from Albuquerque to Denver, from Denver to St. Louis, now St. Louis to Houston,” said Tristan Martinez. “Then Houston to Phoenix and then Phoenix back to Albuquerque tonight. All today. We’ll be home at 1 a.m.”

Southwest ticket counter in seen outfitted in eclipse decorations prior Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024, at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael B. Thomas
/
Special to NPR and St. Louis Public Radio
Southwest ticket counter in seen outfitted in eclipse decorations prior Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024, at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.

Southwest Airlines gate staff wear commemorative eclipse shirts prior to Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael B. Thomas
/
Special to NPR and St. Louis Public Radio
Southwest Airlines gate staff wear commemorative eclipse shirts prior to Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.

She was traveling with her teenage son Niko Martinez, an astronomy buff who carried a digital telescope that takes photos. He hoped to take advantage of the eclipse to photograph the sun’s corona — not unlike a mission NASA planned for the day.

Other passengers were less scientifically minded but knew they wanted a dramatic view of the celestial event.

“I just started reading about it and seeing photos that other people are taking from previous eclipses from airplanes, and I thought that’s something I want to do,” said Babette Lewis, who flew to St. Louis from Minneapolis for the eclipse flight.

Southwest Airlines staff view the beginning of the eclipse from the flight deck prior to the departure of Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024, at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael B. Thomas
/
Special to NPR and St. Louis Public Radio
Southwest Airlines staff view the beginning of the eclipse from the flight deck prior to the departure of Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024, at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.

Matthew Ames started planning for an airborne eclipse view last year. He scheduled business meetings this week in Kansas City and Philadelphia — with a quick flight from St. Louis to Houston in between, before heading home to Florida.

“I’ve never gotten to see a total eclipse,” he said. “I’m 50 years old. Who knows if this will be my only opportunity to see one, so, I’m blessed to be on the flight. I’m excited to see it.”

As passengers boarded, airline staff handed out goody bags, including eclipse glasses, moon pies and eclipse-themed cookies.

After takeoff, the captain announced the view of totality would happen early in the flight.

The view toward the sun was nearly straight up above the plane, but the pilot banked sharply to the left and then the right, giving passengers on either side of the plane a chance to crane their necks for a glimpse through the windows.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1910 took several sharp turns early in its journey from St. Louis to Houston on April 8, 2024. The pilot banked the plane to the left and right as it flew into the solar eclipse's path of totality to give passengers a better view.
Screenshot
/
FlightAware
Southwest Airlines Flight 1910 took several sharp turns early in its journey from St. Louis to Houston on April 8, 2024. The pilot banked the plane to the left and right as it flew into the solar eclipse's path of totality to give passengers a better view.

The cabin darkened as the flight approached the zone of totality, with the blue sky visible a few minutes before rapidly dimming into a haze. A thin strip of dark blue sky hovered high above while the view straight out and down grew darker. The ground was no longer visible.

For several minutes, passengers traded window places and took turns laying eyes on a view of the total eclipse unencumbered by clouds.

Views for many passengers lasted for only seconds at a time, as the plane made hard turns to allow everyone a shot at collecting the prized memory or photograph. But in those moments there was the indelible image of a black disc surrounded by an eerie crown of flames high in the sky.

The sky is seen darkened during totality aboard Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024.
Michael B. Thomas
/
Special to NPR and St. Louis Public Radio
The sky is seen darkened during totality aboard Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024.

The partial solar eclipse is seen during Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024.
Michael B. Thomas
/
Special to NPR and St. Louis Public Radio
The partial solar eclipse is seen during Southwest Flight 1910 highlighting the total solar eclipse from St. Louis to Houston, Texas on April 8, 2024.

The plane lingered in the zone of partial eclipse for longer, as some passengers stayed glued to the windows to watch the sun reemerge, while others shared their photos of totality.

At the arrival gate in Houston, airline staff gave passengers an ovation as they deplaned — adding one last unexpected layer to an unusual journey.

Niko Martinez wasn’t able to take the perfect, time-lapse photo of the eclipse that he hoped to. But from 30,000 feet in the air, he saw plenty of interest.

“Did you see the solar flares?” he asked a fellow passenger excitedly, comparing notes from an eclipse viewing like few others.

Copyright 2024 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Jeremy D. Goodwin joined St. Louis Public Radio in spring of 2018 as a reporter covering arts & culture and co-host of the Cut & Paste podcast. He came to us from Boston and the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where he covered the same beat as a full-time freelancer, contributing to The Boston Globe, WBUR 90.9 FM, The New York Times, NPR and lots of places that you probably haven’t heard of.
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