I won the Southwest "Solarbration" Sweepstakes!

[MaineSkiLady]

[I'm a big fan of "maximize comps/maximize points" mostly because I get a kick out of it - it's like extreme couponing but with points, lol.

^^^ This. It was an obsession with the traveling engineers at DH's former job, haha. This was right around the time of inception of the frequent flyer programs, mid 1980's. They could figure out how to go "around the world" for maximum points: USA>Europe>Asia>USA - all on company funds (AND business class). It was nice of the company to allow all to keep their frequent flyer points. Not all companies did.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

@MaineSkiLady Your son probably is out more than I am. I'm usually off somewhere once a month on average, and for short duration due to obligations at home.

His problem is that absolutely NOTHING seems to be direct for him anymore. It seems like anywhere he needs to go requires THREE flight legs. PITA.

 

[Amie H]

His problem is that absolutely NOTHING seems to be direct for him anymore. It seems like anywhere he needs to go requires THREE flight legs. PITA.

Oof. Connections are a travel momentum killer.

 

[Amie H]

BIG UPDATE:

Southwest just pinged me to let me know THE NEW YORK TIMES wants to interview me.

Oh boy...

 

[Amie H]

Following some of the advice I got here, I asked the Southwest rep if NYT could perhaps forward a few general questions to me ahead of time:
I'm a better writer than speaker - I tend to ramble when I speak. If I could prepare my thoughts succinctly, I'd be a better representative for your airline!

Hopefully, for a features piece, they will be ok with that.

 

[mustski]

BIG UPDATE:

Southwest just pinged me to let me know THE NEW YORK TIMES wants to interview me.

Oh boy...

You will be fine. You are so personable and easy going that it will be easy! I felt comfortable the first minute I met you!

 

[Amie H]

@mustski you are too kind!

 

[Amie H]

No media interviews thus far, just meetings with reps from Omni Hotels & Resorts and Southwest Airlines (fine with me.)

Good think a broke person didn't win this prize. It's going to cost us close to $900 in transportation fees and meals.

I shot this video from my window seat. To be honest, I couldnt me much more than shadows. The sun was above the plane. The man sitting next to me was a pretty big travel YouTuber with 742k subscribers. He and his wife we very pleasant. We talked all things travel.

 

[Amie H]

Here's the decor and "swag" from the Austin Omni:

 

[Christy]

Well shoot! The bummer about that is that airlines know how to fly to make sure people see it.

Threading the celestial needle: Catching the Great American Eclipse at 35,000 feet - Alaska Airlines News

There’s nothing Alaska Airlines pilots like more than a challenge. As a company that started out flying between remote airfields deep in the Alaskan “bush,” safely navigating where other airlines can’t is in Alaska’s blood. So, for Alaska, putting a flight in the path of the Great American...

news.alaskaair.com

 

[Amie H]

To circle back to my original concerns about "interviews" I'm leaning toward going full Delco (where I'm from.)

"We greatly appreciate the hospitality of Dallas-based Southwest and Omni but...Go Eagles!"



View attachment 22939

I *had* to do this while at a stopover today in Dallas:

 

[Amie H]

Well shoot! The bummer about that is that airlines know how to fly to make sure people see it.

Threading the celestial needle: Catching the Great American Eclipse at 35,000 feet - Alaska Airlines News

There’s nothing Alaska Airlines pilots like more than a challenge. As a company that started out flying between remote airfields deep in the Alaskan “bush,” safely navigating where other airlines can’t is in Alaska’s blood. So, for Alaska, putting a flight in the path of the Great American...

news.alaskaair.com

Yeah, the pilot even announced before takeoff that the sun was going to be above the plane. A few people *supposedly * captured pics and the crew was encouraging everyone to airdrop pics to each other (I have an Android so I didn't do that, nor would I w a bunch of strangers!) I have my doubts...
I suspect some of the pics were just downloaded from elsewhere and shared.(My husband received one. Shocked that he allowed airdrop bc he blocks TikTok, Facebook, and a bunch of other "leaky" sites from our wifi at home.)

Here is a picture my husband took by aiming his iPhone up at an angle against the window .

 

[Amie H]

Here are the goodie bags they gave out as we boarded the flight. Lots of puns. My husband had a slightly different combo - his included a Little Debbie Star crunch. The luggage rag is pretty cool.

 

[MissySki]

That seems so shocking! I saw different people who were going to be flying for eclipse photography on television.. they spoke about how the planes have to fly really high for it etc. Kind of mind blowing that Southwest would plan this whole event and then not give you all the views of a lifetime. :(

 

[Amie H]

@MissySki it was a bit deflating.

There was acrepoer from CBS Austin, a local NBC affiliate news photographer, a bunch of YouTubers, a reporter from Southern Living...curious what type of stories they file.

Delta also had a flight leaving Austing similar time, that was an eclipse flight, but those were all sold tickets.

Some people on our flight got a glimpse when everyone in a row exited their seats and stood in the aisle. They put up the armrests and laid down head toward the window, to look out and up. But the flight attendants got upset about that (justifiably bc wasn't 100% smooth air) so it ended quickly.

 

[Amie H]

I've tallied up our total expenses (all meals or transportation/parking - no fancy stuff!)

I'm out of pocket $790 for this whirlwind adventure. I have mixed feelings, mostly in part because the harried nature of it meant not a ton of sleep, my husband isn't the easiest travel partner, and I greatly prefer setting my own itineraries.

That said...I noted that I sat next to some YouTubers. I had no idea how big they were until I looked him up later.

YouTubers Jeb Brooks and his wife, Suzanne, sat in my row. I made a little cameo in his video at the end and a shout out as "a very friendly seatmate in 28F"

Here is Jeb's video (he is a professional YTer, not a hobbyist like me.)

I told them when their cocktails arrived, "Hey, you guys need to clink glasses!" So I filmed that for them with Jeb's phone, and I'm glad my minuscule directorial debut made the cut! LOL.

 

[KayOss]

Thanks for documenting your Eclipse Adventure - I enjoyed your videos and the recap of the trip. While it wasn't your ideal trip, it seemed like you got to do something different and had a positive attitude going in to it. And it proved that real people do win these sweepstakes!