Last minute travel for the eclipse? It’s possible, but likely pricey

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The countdown is on for April 8th’s solar eclipse. Millions of Americans live in the path of totality, and millions more will travel to get close to it. The cost of flights, hotels and rental cars is up in those areas, but there’s still a chance to make some last-minute travel plans.

“We’re not going to see another solar eclipse like this until 2044, so if you have an inclination or are considering it, you definitely want to get on top of not only knowing where some areas are that you can view the eclipse, but also where are the cheap flights to be able to view the eclipse,” said Going’s Katy Nastro.

“Right now, we are seeing elevated flight prices for various cities, like Austin, Erie, Buffalo,” she said. Those are going to be some of the more expensive areas, so we would actually recommend if you are considering flying somewhere, consider flying to places like Cleveland for only $188 round trip (from Phoenix) over the dates, leaving on that Sunday, coming back on that Tuesday.”

Another option is to choose a destination that’s outside of the path of totality and then drive toward it, but that also comes with challenges. Rental car company Hertz tells On Your Side its advance bookings for April 6 are 3,000% higher than last April 6. The company says Dallas has six times more reservations than the same time last year, while Cleveland and Indianapolis are the next busiest cities for rentals.

“Hertz has been getting ready for April’s solar total eclipse almost a full year in advance with prep, including increased staffing and repositioning cars to high-demand areas to ensure we get customers on the road faster,” the company said.

AAA is reminding drivers to keep headlights on during the eclipse. Drivers should also choose a safe parking area to watch the eclipse — which is not the side of the road. It’s also important to watch for pedestrians, who will likely be looking up toward the sky and not keeping their eyes on the road.

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