'It's Phenomenal': Travelers Arrive In Oklahoma To View Total Solar Eclipse

Last-minute travelers are flying into Tulsa for Monday's eclipse. The rental car line was consistently busy throughout the day as people prepared for totality.

One person came from Cancun, Mexico and another came from Munich, Germany.

Both said they were in San Antonio last year for the solar eclipse that reached 90 percent totality and that inspired them to come to Oklahoma to see it at 100 percent this year.

After flying nearly 5 thousand miles from Munich, Germany to Tulsa, Frank Klische and his friend had to wait for their rental car inside the airport. 

"I like the airport it looks a bit older, but it's in good shape, and everything is so clean and quiet here and the weather is nice as well," said Frank Klische, who traveled from Munich, Germany.

Klische will drive to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to see his second solar eclipse at 100 percent totality. The last one he saw was 26 years ago in Germany.

"It was amazing suddenly it was totally dark, and all the birds stopped singing and yeah it was a super special atmosphere."

Klische visited the U.S. last year to see a solar eclipse at 90 percent. But he couldn't get enough.

On that same trip, he made plans to fly here to Oklahoma.

"I think I booked the flight already when I was in San Antonio last year. I heard about it and my airline, I'm usually flying with Scandinavian Airlines, they had an amazing offer and so we booked it right away," said Klische.

While Klische made plans in advance, Kevin McKee flew in from Cancun, Mexico on a whim.

"Only place in the area that has any rental cars left, kind of made a last-minute decision and booked it last week and here I am.," McKee said.

McKee will stay in Tulsa Sunday night, and then drive wherever there's good weather to see the eclipse. 

"It's phenomenal, you know, a natural occurrence as it happens and if you can get a chance to see it in your lifetime, I'm 63, how many more am I going to see," said McKee.

There will be another solar eclipse in 2026 in Southern Spain, and Frank Klische says it's only a two-hour flight from Germany, so he might go to that one too.