Thanks to a few Southwest Airlines flights in Texas, some lucky individuals witnessed the recent solar eclipse from an altitude of 35,000 feet. This was an incredible opportunity to view a total solar eclipse from the sky, and NBC 5’s Candace Sweat was on board to document the experience.
Millions of people around the United States looked up to the sky in awe as they watched the total solar eclipse, an incredible phenomenon that only happens once in a lifetime.
However, a group of lucky travelers had a unique experience they will never forget as they witnessed the eclipse at 35,000 feet.
Southwest Airlines, one of the country's most popular airlines, hosted a one-of-a-kind inflight "Solarbration" for its passengers, complete with festive eclipse-themed glasses, napkins, and cosmic cocktails.
The airline said its Solarbration flights that were within the path of the eclipse included Southwest Flight #1252, which departed Dallas (Love Field) for Pittsburgh; Southwest Flight #1721, which departed Austin for Indianapolis; and Southwest Flight #1910, which departed St. Louis for Houston (Hobby).
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Passengers onboard these flights were treated to a front-row view of the eclipse, making their journey even more memorable and exciting.
But that's not all—leading up to the eclipse in March, Southwest Airlines said it partnered with Omni Hotels to host a Solarbration Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes awarded two lucky winners and their guests an out-of-this-world eclipse experience.
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The winners enjoyed a decked-out eclipse-themed room at the Omni Hotel in Austin or Dallas before heading to the airport to begin their celestial adventure aboard a Southwest Airlines flight within the eclipse path. The Omni Hotels provided glasses, napkins, and stir-sticks for the flights, including a luggage tag with special offers.
As the entire world looked up to the sky in wonder on Monday, Southwest Airlines took it a step further by leveraging its place in the sky to provide a unique opportunity for its passengers to observe the phenomenon up close.
The airline's Solarbration flights allowed passengers to witness the eclipse from a whole new perspective, and the festive atmosphere onboard made the experience even more memorable.
