Time is running out for travelers to finalize their plans to experience the total solar eclipse that will cross North America—including a large swath of the U.S.—on Monday, April 8.
Fortunately, the team of experts at Going, formerly Scott's Cheap Flights, has shared some helpful insights to assist travelers making last-minute arrangements to experience the last total solar eclipse over the U.S. until 2044.
While Going considers three weeks out the "Goldilocks Window" for cheap flights as this period is not too far in advance but also not too late, surging demand to experience next month's rare phenomenon in person is likely to suppress the potential for significant savings.
Nonetheless, there are some steps to take to ensure you're minimizing costs. Looking at historical data from Going's deals, the five cheapest cities to fly into along the path of totality on average are Cleveland (CLE), Austin (AUS), Buffalo (BUF), San Antonio (SAT) and Indianapolis (IND).
- CLE — $177 roundtrip
- AUS — $184 roundtrip
- BUF — $187 roundtrip
- SAT — $237 roundtrip
- IND — $256 roundtrip
"Some examples of deals we've sent near the path of totality close to the eclipse dates include NYC to Indianapolis for $197 roundtrip and Chicago to Dallas for $83 roundtrip," Going points out.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mazatlán, Mexico; Jackson, Mississippi and Montréal, Canada are among the most expensive cities along the path of totality that travelers can fly into this spring.
Another way to save on a total solar eclipse experience is to target airports further from the path of totality but still close enough to reach via road trip. "Flights from Los Angeles to Austin for April 7-11 are an eye-popping $800 roundtrip, while flights from LAX to Houston are under $300," Going notes. "You’ll need to drive three hours from Houston to the prime eclipse viewing in Austin, but for $500 savings, it may be worth it."
In addition to Houston, alternative cities with airports just a couple hours from the path of totality include Toledo, Akron, Detroit, Rochester, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, New Orleans and Quebec City.
Regardless of the destination, travelers should book their flights (and rental car if necessary) as soon as possible as Going warns that airlines almost always raise fares at the 21-, 14- and seven-day marks before departure.
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