2026 Solar Eclipse on Points
One solar eclipse, two ToP team members watching from two different locations. Last week, both Lana Vu and I experienced totality from Spain's Balearic Islands. Our trips were the product of months—no, years—of careful research and planning. Both of us built extended European trips around eclipse day. On August 12, 2026, we traded giddy texts with each other from our viewpoints. In the lead-up to the big moment, we talked about grateful we were to even be there at all. We couldn't have done it without the help of points and miles. Here's how we booked the 2026 solar eclipse on points.
Lana's Experience
How I Booked
To book the 2026 solar eclipse on points, my family traveled to Mallorca. Mallorca was our third stop on this Europe trip, which started with a heritage trip to Poland. We booked four seats in X on KLM from IAD-AMS-WAW, for 18,750 points plus $134 per person. Cash flights to Mallorca were $150 per person. We booked a 5-night stay at Lindner Mallorca Portal Nous for 18,000 points per night. We added an SUA to upgrade to the African Suite, which can accommodate four. Our redemption came to 6.45 cpp—stellar value for eclipse week. Service and Globalist recognition at the hotel were both exemplary. They comped all minibar usage daily, loaned any beach gear we asked for, filled our cooler with ice on request. It was a wonderful stay.
How I Planned
Traveling to the 2026 solar eclipse on points required a little more planning than a regular vacation. There was a lot more chance and speculation that had to go into consideration. When we were looking, one huge factor was the weather. We knew Spain would be hot, but Iceland had a much much higher chance of cloud cover obscuring the view. Another factor was time of day at the location. This year’s eclipse totality was at 8:31pm in Mallorca, making for a stunning opportunity for pictures low on the horizon with landscape, water, buildings, people. But 2-3° degrees over the horizon requires planning as well, researching topography and angle to ensure a view unobstructed by landscape and buildings.
I purposely opted for a property on the western side of Mallorca, close to multiple potential viewing points within a 30-minute drive. Due to the heat, we also opted for a location with water access if we needed to cool off. Here's what we saw. It was an unbelievably amazing experience.
Jenn's Experience
What I Booked
We booked the 2026 solar eclipse on points as a group of three. Like Lana, Menorca was also the third stop of our summer Europe trip. Our travels began in Paris and later took us to Madrid, Lisbon and Porto. We booked three seats via Flying Blue on Air France in J from JFK-CDG for 60,000 points plus $246.20 per person. Cash flights to Menorca were $134.37 per person. Aiming to check off another option from our Brand Explorer chart, we split our stay between two Alua Hotels & Resorts properties, which are part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection. We booked a Junior Suite with Sea View at Alua Illa de Menorca for 29,000 points per night. For the day of the eclipse, we booked a 1-bedroom apartment at AluaSun Lago Park. The cpps for the Alua properties weren't the strongest, so we decided to book on points for one and a cash rate the other. At AluaSun Lago Park, we spent $472.09 and ended up getting upgraded to a two-bedroom apartment with a marina view.
How I Planned
After researching the path of totality, we quickly decided to watch the eclipse from Spain. We liked the lower chances of cloud clover—and the chance to build an entire two-plus week Europe trip around it. We pinpointed the Balearic Islands for the unique opportunity to watch the eclipse from the coast at sunset. To book the 2026 solar eclipse on points, we settled on Menorca. We thought its relative flatness would make for a reduced risk of an obstructed view.
We knew we wanted to watch near the Cap d'Artrutx, a lighthouse on the island's southwest tip with a wide-open shoreline. AluaSun Lago Park is located nearby in Cala en Bosch, a bustling area with a marina, restaurants and hotels. Stationed there, we were only a 16-minute walk or a 3-minute drive from our viewpoint. As a backup plan, we rented a car in case anything changed with the weather day-of. But when we awoke on August 12, there was not a cloud in the sky. We grabbed our eclipse glasses and headed toward the coast. At the exact moment of totality, a thin cloud drifted in front of the sun, so our view ended up being slightly hazy. But that didn't stop the gasps and cheers from the crowd around us—nor the tears that welled up in my eyes. Here's what we saw.
2026 Solar Eclipse on Points: ToP Thoughts
The 2026 solar eclipse on points is in the books—and it was one for the books for both of us. We couldn't have done it without the amazing world of award travel. It was so worth it. But the time for planning 2027 is now. That will be the longest solar eclipse in our lifetimes, with some areas experiencing over 6 minutes of totality. Where are our fellow eclipse chasers? Where would you like to go for August 2027, and how can ToP help get you there on points? Come and tell us over in the ToP Facebook group.
