Solar eclipses don’t happen every year – or even every decade – so when one comes along, it’s natural that plenty of us are keen to maximise our chances of glimpsing the phenomenon in all its glory.
Spanish airline Iberia knows that, and that’s why the airline has launched a special flight on August 12 to give passengers on the plane (and around the world) stunning views of the eclipse.
Departing from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport at 6.45 pm, the flight (which has a code of IB1473, referencing the birth year of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus) will journey over the province of Palencia before landing back in the Spanish capital.
According to Travel Tomorrow, the plan is to fly 10,000 metres above sea level to minimise the potential impact of clouds and the atmosphere, and the route has been planned to traverse the path of totality.
While it’s an exciting opportunity for passengers, there’ll be scientists aboard the plane too. Researchers from something called the Shelios project, which is led by astronomer Miquel Serra-Ricart, Scientific Director of Light Bridges and researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, plan to capitalise on the opportunity to study the solar corona, which is the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere (and usually hidden by its brightness).
But that’s not all – Iberia, utilising its Starlink technology, will also be live-streaming the eclipse via its social media channels from the flight, likely offering a much clearer view than from the ground.
This isn’t even the only flight scheduled to showcase the eclipse in all its majesty – Brussels Airlines also announced a service to coincide with the event, though the obscuration from Belgium will be around 96 percent.
What is a solar eclipse?
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon perfectly aligns itself within the path between the Sun and the Earth, and it’s a celestial coincidence that these events can even take place.
Why? Well, because despite the fact the sun is around 400 times larger than the moon, it’s also 400 times further away from Earth. It’s a rare and enthralling sight, and next week’s eclipse is the first to be visible from the Iberian Peninsula for 114 years.
To read more about the eclipse and where it will be visible, check out our complete guide below, and keep an eye on Iberia’s official Instagram page for updates on how to watch.
🌚 Discover ’s complete guide to the August 2026 solar eclipse in Europe – including all the best places to spot it.
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