The Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017: for some, it was a phenomenal day filled with celestial magic, while for others it was just an average day. You see, while the most fortunate of eclipse chasers reveled in dark “totality”, unlucky residents of states that sit too far north or south of the center line could only catch a hint of a shadow on the sun.

And though every solar eclipse watcher’s experience was different depending upon location, there were a lucky few who were able to watch the natural phenomenon from a particularly spectacular perspective—35,000-feet in the air!

That’s right, passengers on Alaska Airline’s Great American Eclipse flight were treated to what was, quite possibly, the most impressive view of the event—and you better believe that the travelers who booked this flight were not blasé about the experience.

Frank Mallicoat, a longtime reporter with KTVU, says that this is at the “tippy-top” of his list of favorite on-the-job experiences, despite the fact that he has interviewed sitting presidents before. Talk about a good review!

So, what made this journey so special? Well, for one, this invitation-only flight brought lucky passengers right into the “path of totality”, the exact timing and location where the moon fully blocks the sun.

It’s quite a treat, especially considering only about 1/5 of the States experienced this level of the eclipse—and most weren’t viewing it from 6 miles up in the air. In fact, these traveling VIPs were actually able to see the eclipse first, about 15 minutes before the coast of Oregon saw two minutes of midday darkness. Lucky ducks!

What it’s like to watch a sky-high phenomenon

If you’re anything like us, you are getting more and more jealous as this story unravels. “Who ARE these lucky folks who got to take this flight, anyway?”

Well, we assure you that the passengers – a mixture of astronomers, meteorologists, Alaska Airlines employees, and contest winners – were very much deserving of their epic seats. After all, these are the people who truly appreciate views like this.

Michael Barratt, an astronaut who has spent an astounding 200 days in space, was just as taken aback by the beauty of the event as everyone else on the plane. Believe it or not, the rocket man says that this magical flight “ranks right up there” with his most impressive out-of-this world experiences. Well, that certainly says a lot!

Now, for all of you newly-minted “eclipse chasers” who are hoping to get a seat on a flight like this, you’ll have to wait patiently for some time, as the next one isn’t set to hit North America until April 8, 2024. Mark your calendars!

To see the gorgeous footage from this very special flight, be sure to watch the video below. This certainly is an example of nature at its most mystifying!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this event. Where did you view the eclipse? Did anyone see it from a plane, like these folks? Did you get a chance to experience totality?