Icelandair adds special flight for 2027 solar eclipse

Icelandair has added a special flight to Málaga for next year’s total solar eclipse, after interest from people wanting to see it in Spain, mbl.is reports.

The eclipse will take place on August 2, 2027. It is expected to be the longest total solar eclipse for the rest of the century, lasting up to six minutes and 23 seconds in Egypt. It will also be visible across parts of southern Spain.

Astronomy communicator Sævar Helgi Bragason said many people contacted him after the August 12 eclipse, which was most visible from Iceland, to ask about travelling to Spain the following year. Icelandair added the flight so passengers can travel with Bragason and his colleague and friend Gísli Már Arnarson. Bragason said ticket sales had got off to a good start.

The pair run Iceland at Night, an information website for people interested in the northern lights. Bragason said they hoped to be near Punta de Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Europe, where the eclipse is expected to last more than four minutes and 30 seconds. In Málaga, totality will last for more than two minutes.

Bragason warned that heavy traffic was expected in the area on the morning of the eclipse, which will occur shortly before local noon. Only a small partial eclipse will be visible from Iceland.