April’s Solar Eclipse Threatens To Black Out Your Wallet As Hotel Prices Skyrocket

As people prepare to view the upcoming solar eclipse, hotels are preparing to make more money off those wanting to stay near the spectacle. New reports indicate hotels along the “zone of totality” are looking to cash in on people’s desire to have the best seat in the house come April’s total solar eclipse, with one Airbnb listing asking a whopping $3,500 for a one-bedroom apartment for just one night.

One reason for all the excitement for this particular solar eclipse is that it will be the last opportunity to view a total eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2044. According to NASA, a total eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the Sun from view. Those in the zone of totality will experience the sky darken, as though it were dawn or dusk. For those with clear skies, they will also be privy to seeing the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, which is typically obscured by the brightness of the Sun.

An example of the price hike in hotel stays along the path of totality is in Killeen, Texas. A Fairfield Inn by Mariott is offering up a room for April 8, 2024, for an astounding $809. The same room the following week only runs $103 per night. In anticipation of the influx of a large amount of people wanting a front row seat to the eclipse, Judge David Blackburn of Bell County, which Killeen resides in, has already issued a local disaster declaration. County school’s will be closed on April 8, and residents are being asked to stock up on food and gasoline ahead of the event.


The higher hotel prices are not just in Texas, however. A Holiday Inn Express in Terre Haute, Indiana, is asking $459 for a room, which is normally only $135 per night. Airbnb’s are not immune either, as a one-bedroom in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is listed at $1,350 for the night. Another Airbnb listing in Cleveland, Ohio, for a one-bedroom apartment downtown lists for $3,500 for just one night.

If someone wants to stay in Burlington, Vermont, at the Southside Inn, they will have to pony up $1,585 per night. Two weeks later, the same room lists for just $120. However, for those who don’t mind staying in Sinaloa drug-cartel country, an all inclusive seven night stay in Mazatlan, Mexico, can be had for only $1,850.

Regardless of whether you choose to pay the higher hotel prices to be in the path of totality, or simply decide to find somewhere within a few hours of driving to view it at a cheaper price, the April 8th event promises to be worth the time and money.