Brighton sealed a return to the top flight for the first time in 34 years after a comfortable 2-1 home victory Wigan, coupled with Huddersfield's failure to hold on against Derby County, shot them back among the big boys.
Goals in each half from leading scorer Glenn Murray and winger Solly March gave the top-of-the-table Seagulls their fifth successive win and put them on the brink of the Premier League..
Substitute Ryan Colclough pulled a late goal back for Wigan, who remain in the drop zone, but it could not dampen the home side's celebrations.
Albion went into Monday's game needing four more points to guarantee promotion, but their vastly superior goal difference over Huddersfield meant David Wagner's men needed an astonishing run of results to deny the Seagulls a place at English football's top table next season.
In the evening kick-off at Derby, they fell at the first hurdle, conceding an 87th-minute Jacob Butterfield leveller after Collin Quaner had put them ahead.
That meant there was not even the tiniest doubt about it: Brighton are in the Premier League.
Albion boss, former Republic of Ireland defender Chris Hughton, made two changes, with ex-Wigan defender Gaetan Bong replacing Seb Pocognoli at left-back and Steve Sidwell giving way to Beram Kayal.
Championship player of year Anthony Knockaert tried his luck early on for the Seagulls, his low shot from 25 yards saved by Danish goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard.
Central defender Lewis Dunk went close for Brighton by putting a deflected shot wide after Haugaard dropped a Knockaert free-kick.
Dunk threatened again after 27 minutes when he rose to head a dangerous free-kick from Knockaert over the bar at the far post.
Haugaard was well positioned to hold a header from Uwe Huenemeier after Knockaert supplied a dangerous corner.
Brighton had struggled to move the ball quickly, but the breakthrough came after 37 minutes when leading marksman Murray produced a deadly finish to notch his 22nd goal of the season.
A long ball from Dunk was knocked back by Tomer Hemed into the path of Murray, who gave Haugaard no chance from 12 yards.
Former Bournemouth striker Murray had the ball in the net again five minutes later, but his far post header was ruled out because Knockaert's corner had gone out of play.
Brighton should have doubled their advantage shortly after the break when a cross from March found Hemed and his shot was cleared off the line by defender Dan Burn.
Albion's dominance also saw Knockaert put a free-kick wide before Murray fired into the side netting in front of the Wigan fans.
The pressure told on 65 minutes when March made it 2-0 with a close-range shot after Knockaert set up him up.
Murray later saw a deflected shot go over after a storming run by substitute Jamie Murphy.
Wigan denied Brighton a clean sheet five minutes from time when substitute Ryan Colclough headed in a cross from Jamie Hanson, but the hard work for the hosts was already done.
Newcastle, league leaders for so long, slipped to seven points behind the Seagulls as they took their winless run to three matches with a 3-1 reverse at Ipswich.
Freddie Sears put the hosts ahead just before half-time, but when former Tractor Boy Daryl Murphy levelled in the second half the Magpies had a chance to switch their fortunes.
Instead they conceded twice more, David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws the scorers.
Gianfranco Zola's brief and forgettable stint at Birmingham ended after a 2-0 defeat at home to Burton left Blues two places and three points clear of the drop.
Burton leapfrogged their opponents in the table after Lloyd Dyer and Lucas Akins hit the net and Zola's 22-game reign came to an end within minutes of the final whistle.
In the play-off picture wins for Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham saw Leeds edged out of the top six.
Reading went behind to relegated Rotherham, Tom Adeyemi on target, but hit back in the second half.
First Lewis Grabban then John Swift beat Richard O'Donnell to seal the points with a 2-1 win.
Wednesday won by the same margin at QPR, Adam Reach and Daniel Pudil notching either side of Idrissa Sylla's equaliser.
Fulham enjoyed a straightforward outing at home to Aston Villa, who slumped 3-1 after playing 68 minutes with 10 men.
Ryan Sessegnon gave the Cottagers the lead after hitting the crossbar and, although Jack Grealish restored parity following Jonathan Kodija's red card, the result never seemed in doubt.
Sone Aluko and Neeskens Kebano settled matters as the numerical disadvantage came to bear in the second period.
All of that spelled bad news for Garry Monk's Leeds, who were turned over at Elland Road when Wolves striker Nouha Dicko grabbed the only goal of the game.
Blackburn salvaged a draw from Bristol City's trip to Ewood Park, Sam Gallagher cancelling out Tammy Abraham's effort, but they remain third bottom and deep in trouble.
Norwich defeated Preston 3-1 at Deepdale, but neither side can now hope to crack the play-offs.
Graham Dorrans and Josh Murphy gave the Canaries a first-half cushion before Tommy Spurr and James Maddison traded strikes.
Aron Gunnarsson gave Cardiff a 1-0 win over struggling Nottingham Forest and Brentford drew 1-1 at Barnsley as Florian Jozefzoon and Marley Watkins scored.
