# Total solar eclipse 2027: where to see it and how to fly there

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Publisher: BusinessClassTravel.us (ARC/IATA-partner Business Class consolidator)
Published: 2026-10-10

Event guide · August 2, 2027

On Monday, August 2, 2027, the Moon's shadow crosses southern Spain, Gibraltar, northern Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Near Luxor, totality lasts more than six minutes, the longest over easily accessible land this century. Here is where to stand, which nearby cities miss totality, and how to fly there from the US in Business Class.

## Where is the best place to see the 2027 total solar eclipse?

Luxor, Egypt: about 6 minutes 20 seconds of totality at around 1:05 pm, with the Sun almost overhead and cloud on fewer than 1 in 100 early-August days. Southern Spain near Tarifa (about 4m 38s), Gibraltar (about 4m 27s) and Tangier (about 4m 50s) are closer to the US but carry more risk of morning cloud. Seville, Cairo and Aswan are outside the path.

- Date: Monday, August 2, 2027
- Longest totality: 6m 23s, in Egypt near Luxor
- Not visible from the US except a tiny sunrise partial in eastern Maine
- Outside totality: Seville, Cairo, Aswan, Hurghada

## Where to see totality: times and durations

| Place | Totality | Local time | Sun height | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxor, Egypt | ~6m 20s | ~1:02-1:08 pm (EEST) | ~82 degrees, almost overhead | Clearest skies on the track (cloud on under 1% of early-August days). Average high 42C (108F). |
| Sohag, Egypt | ~6m 22s | ~1:00 pm (EEST) | ~81 degrees | Closest town to the point of longest totality. |
| Red Sea coast, Egypt | Berenice ~6m 20s, Marsa Alam ~5m 31s | ~1:07-1:13 pm (EEST) | ~81 degrees | Hurghada, El Gouna and Safaga are outside the path. |
| Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | ~6m 00s | ~1:22-1:28 pm (AST) | ~77 degrees | More dust than the Egyptian side. Non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca. |
| Sfax, Tunisia | ~5m 40s | ~10:08-10:14 am (CET) | ~56 degrees | Lowest cloud on the western half of the track. |
| Tangier, Morocco | ~4m 50s | ~9:44 am (Morocco time, 1 hour behind Spain) | ~38 degrees | Morning sea mist usually burns off before totality. |
| Tarifa, Spain | ~4m 38s | ~10:45 am (CEST) | ~37 degrees | Atlantic fog risk at dawn; inland Cadiz province is clearer. |
| Gibraltar | ~4m 27s | ~10:45 am (CEST) | ~38 degrees | Cloud can hang on the Rock in an easterly wind; the southern end is better. |
| Cadiz city, Spain | ~2m 52s | ~10:45 am (CEST) | ~37 degrees | Near the northern edge of the path. |
| Malaga city, Spain | ~1m 50s | ~10:49 am (CEST) | ~39 degrees | Drive west for more: Marbella ~3m 17s, Estepona ~3m 37s. |

Durations and times from NASA eclipse data, cross-checked against published local figures; weather notes from Jay Anderson's eclipse climatology (eclipsophile.com). Totality varies by a few seconds across a town, so check your exact spot.

## Cities that miss totality

A 99% partial eclipse is not totality: the sky never goes dark and you must keep eclipse glasses on the whole time. These places sit just outside the path, so use them as gateways, not viewing spots:

- Seville (about 98% partial)
- Cairo (about 95%)
- Aswan (about 99.5%)
- Hurghada and El Gouna
- Rabat and Casablanca
- Tunis, Sousse and Monastir
- Madrid (86%), Lisbon (93%), Paris (52%), London (42%)

## How to fly there from the US in Business Class

### Luxor and Upper Egypt

EgyptAir flies non-stop to Cairo from New York JFK, Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago and Los Angeles; its A350s have Business suites with doors. From Cairo it is about an hour on to Luxor. One-stop routings via Madrid and other European hubs also work. See our [EgyptAir Business Class review](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/egyptair-business-class-review), the [Cairo guide](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/business-class-to-cairo) and [Business Class to Egypt](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/business-class-flights-to-egypt). Most eclipse Nile cruises sail from around July 27 or July 30, 2027, so plan to reach Cairo a few days before.

### Southern Spain and Gibraltar

The simplest route is a non-stop to Madrid, then the high-speed train to Malaga (about 2 hours 20 minutes) or Seville (about 2.5 hours) and a drive south to the Cadiz coast. United has flown Newark-Malaga non-stop each summer on a 757, though the 2027 schedule is not yet confirmed. There is no US non-stop to Seville. For Gibraltar, connect in London on British Airways. See our [Iberia Business Class review](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/iberia-business-class-review) and [Business Class to Spain](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/business-class-flights-to-spain).

### Northern Morocco

Royal Air Maroc flies non-stop to Casablanca from New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Miami and Los Angeles. From Casablanca, the Al Boraq high-speed train reaches Tangier in about 2 hours 10 minutes. If you are staying in Spain, the Tarifa-Tangier ferry takes about an hour; cross the day before the eclipse. See our [Royal Air Maroc Business Class review](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/royal-air-maroc-business-class-review).

### Saudi Arabia

Saudia flies non-stop to Jeddah from New York JFK and Washington Dulles, and US citizens can apply for a Saudi tourist e-visa. Watch from Jeddah or the coast to its south; Mecca is closed to non-Muslims.

## Plan it like a once-in-a-lifetime trip

- **Book the stay first.** By October 2026, several eclipse Nile cruises, organized Luxor tours and many Cadiz, Tarifa and Gibraltar hotels were sold out or waitlist-only.
- **Arrive two days early.** Roads, ferries and domestic flights will be busy on August 1-2.
- **Pick weather over seconds.** Egypt is close to a sure thing; the Strait of Gibraltar is the cloudiest stretch, so keep a car and a backup spot inland.
- **Respect the heat in Egypt.** Luxor averages 42C (108F) on August 2, cameras can overheat, and the temperature drops sharply during totality.
- **Check travel advisories** for Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia at travel.state.gov before you book.

## Eye safety

Use eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard; the American Astronomical Society lists verified suppliers. The only safe moment to look without them is totality itself, when the Sun's bright face is fully covered; put them back on as soon as it reappears. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe, and cameras, binoculars and telescopes need a solar filter on the front. Outside the path there is no safe moment to look without protection.

## Frequently asked

### When is the 2027 total solar eclipse?

Monday, August 2, 2027. The path of totality crosses southern Spain, Gibraltar, northern Morocco, northern Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, starting over the Atlantic in the morning and reaching Egypt around midday local time.

### Can you see the August 2027 eclipse from the US?

Not in any useful way. Only far-eastern Maine sees a tiny partial eclipse (about 2% of the Sun) right at sunrise. To see totality you need to travel to southern Spain, North Africa, Egypt or Saudi Arabia.

### Where is totality longest in 2027?

In Egypt. The maximum is 6 minutes 23 seconds in the desert between Asyut and Sohag, and Luxor gets about 6 minutes 20 seconds. It is the longest total eclipse over easily accessible land this century; a longer one will not happen until June 3, 2114.

### Is Seville in the path of totality?

No. Seville sees about 98% of the Sun covered, which is not totality, so eclipse glasses stay on the whole time. From Seville, drive south toward Vejer de la Frontera or Tarifa, where totality lasts about 4 to 4.5 minutes.

### What time is the eclipse in Spain?

Along the Cadiz coast, Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol, totality falls at about 10:45-10:50 am local time (CEST), with the partial phases running from about 9:40 am to noon. In Tangier, Morocco, clocks are an hour behind Spain, so totality there is at about 9:44 am local time.

### Is the eclipse total in Cairo?

No. Cairo sees a deep partial eclipse (about 95%) but no totality. Fly on from Cairo to Luxor, about an hour south by air, for more than six minutes of totality.

### How do I fly to Luxor for the eclipse in Business Class?

EgyptAir flies non-stop to Cairo from New York JFK, Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago and Los Angeles, with Business suites with doors on its A350s, and connects on to Luxor. One-stop options via Madrid and other European hubs also work. Many travelers base themselves on a Nile cruise; most eclipse sailings leave around July 27 or July 30, 2027, and several are already sold out.

### When should I book flights for the 2027 eclipse?

Now. Eclipse Nile cruises, organized Luxor tours and many hotels in Cadiz, Tarifa and Gibraltar were already sold out or waitlisted by October 2026. Book your stay first, then lock the flights, and plan to arrive at least two days before August 2.

Chasing the sky this winter too? See the [best places to see the Northern Lights](https://www.businessclasstravel.us/best-place-to-see-northern-lights) in 2026-27.