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At the start of this week, I had no intention of trying to see the solar eclipse. London, my home of almost 20 years, was set to experience more than 90% partial coverage, and that felt good enough for me.
After an intense year of work and travel — and celebrating my 40th birthday last week — I’d put myself on a self-imposed travel ban for August. It felt like time for some rest.
Then, this past Monday afternoon, I felt some familiar tingles: the urge to escape, have an adventure and do something a bit different.
The chance to experience eclipse totality was tantalizingly close to home.
Both northern Spain and the Balearic Islands were in the path of totality and easily accessible from London. A points and miles aficionado to the bitter end, I turned to two of my favorite tools, SeatSpy and Seats.aero, to see if I could get there at the right time, on the cheap, using points.
To my amazement, despite being in the peak of British school holidays, there was plenty of availability on several ideal British Airways flights.
Then it dawned on me: What if I could get on a flight that would cross the path of totality and see the eclipse from the sky?
One quick Google search suggested that if I could get it right, the payoff would be mind-blowing.
Finding the perfect flight for a shot at totality
I poured hours of research into my first attempt and thought I had nailed it. I even made an Instagram reel encouraging others to take my selected flight to Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), which had wide-open award availability and, I believed, an incredible chance of seeing totality.
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Then some viewers of that reel pointed out a slight problem: I had gotten the science wrong.
Even if everything else went our way, the flight would be too far north to experience totality. I’m no astronomer, so, grateful for the advice, I went back to the drawing board to hash out a new plan.
I’m very fortunate to live with an airline pilot, and together we plotted the path of totality and analyzed three days of FlightRadar24 data, replaying flights that had crossed the right area at the right time. Then we narrowed them down to flights departing from London or nearby.
One stood out: British Airways Flight 2644 from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP).
Recent flight data showed it typically took off about an hour after its scheduled 5:10 p.m. departure — exactly the delay we needed to put us in the right place at the right time.
I nervously pulled up the British Airways website and searched for award availability.
And there it was. Wide open award availability in both economy and business class.
I recruited some friends, double-checked that window seats were still available on the right-hand, west-facing side and booked my flight for 14,000 Avios plus 2.50 British pounds (about $3) in taxes and fees. Thanks to my British Airways Club Gold status, I could select my ideal seat assignment for free.
Then I went to bed, satisfied with the plan and hoping for the best.
Would we actually see the eclipse?
After a busy morning, we took the train to Gatwick, where security was quiet, leaving enough time for a “cheeky Nando’s” before heading to the gate, incredibly nervous but excited. We seemed to be the only passengers testing cameras and trying out protective equipment.
In a reversal of my usual airport instincts, I was delighted when boarding started later than planned. I even decided to board last; somehow, it felt like everything might slow down a little if I were one of the final passengers.
Once aboard, a few more minor delays helped our cause.
We pushed back and joined a line of aircraft waiting to take off. I was laser-focused on the time.
Finally, at 6:05 p.m., we were airborne — about five minutes earlier than our dream target takeoff time. At this point, we really had no idea what we would see.
Wearing our solar-protective glasses, we kept checking the sun as it was slowly but surely eaten away by the moon.
It was then that I realized we were among a very small group on board who even knew there was a chance we’d see totality. Our “paper sunglasses” attracted plenty of interest, and passengers around us took turns using them to look out the window at the disappearing sun.
Around 40 minutes after departure, the captain made an announcement and mentioned the eclipse for the first time.
He’d been watching the path of totality and, based on our route and timing, believed we would pass through it at the perfect moment.
He explained that we had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the moon’s shadow sweep across the Earth beneath us from a vantage point we’d otherwise never experience — and then see the full darkness of totality.
Experiencing totality from 35,000 feet
When the giant shadow began rushing across the Earth below us, the energy in the cabin was electric.
As darkness descended over the slice of Earth beneath us, everyone gasped and then fell silent.
Seconds later, the silence broke into cries of excitement. The faces around me were filled with wonder and disbelief as we were witnesses to this incredible sight.
I was floored. But at the same time, I knew I had a job to do to capture this moment.
I cycled through my various cameras, adrenaline coursing through my body. Eventually satisfied that I had enough — and desperate even for a fleeting moment to myself — I stared out the window and took in the scene.
That moment is seared into my memory. I’m not sure I’ll ever see anything like that again with my own eyes.
Totality lasted for about 90 seconds before the “diamond ring” took form as one tiny corner of the sun started to emerge from behind the moon.
The whole plane erupted into excited conversation. New friends were made, photos were shared and AirDrop did a roaring trade in those 20 minutes.
And the show wasn’t quite over. On approach to Malaga, we were treated to an incredible partial-eclipse sunset during the final 10 minutes of the flight.
It was the experience of a lifetime.
Luck was certainly on our side, but we’d also made some of that luck ourselves by putting in the work to find the perfect flight.
And paying just a few dollars out of pocket — plus the Avios, of course — made the whole adventure even more incredible.
You can bet I’m already planning my 2027 eclipse adventure.
