Twelve places to see the northern lights, compared with the same numbers
We ran one test on 24 years of sky data for twelve aurora bases. They fall into three groups, and choosing a group is the first decision.
The map
Under the auroral zone
The aurora forms a ring around the magnetic pole. The closer a place sits to that ring, the less solar activity it needs. Each number is one of our destinations.
- 1TromsøNorwayKp 1
- 2ReykjavíkIcelandKp 2
- 3RovaniemiFinlandKp 3
- 4AbiskoSwedenKp 2
- 5KirunaSwedenKp 2
- 6LeviFinlandKp 2
- 7SaariselkäFinlandKp 2
- 8AkureyriIcelandKp 2
- 9LuleåSwedenKp 3
- 10FairbanksAlaska, USAKp 2
- 11YellowknifeCanadaKp 1
- 12WhitehorseCanadaKp 3
Kp is the level of geomagnetic activity from which the aurora is usually overhead. Values are approximate.
All twelve at a glance
| Destination | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp for overhead aurora | Usable sky in 5 nights, January | Usable sky in 5 nights, March | Airport | Tours from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TromsøNorway | 66.6° | Kp 1 | TOS | €147 | ||
| ReykjavíkIceland | 64° | Kp 2 | KEF | €74 | ||
| RovaniemiFinland | 63° | Kp 3 | RVN | €79 | ||
| AbiskoSweden | 65.3° | Kp 2 | KRN | €88 | ||
| KirunaSweden | 64.7° | Kp 2 | KRN | €124 | ||
| LeviFinland | 64.5° | Kp 2 | KTT | €101 | ||
| SaariselkäFinland | 65° | Kp 2 | IVL | €118 | ||
| AkureyriIceland | 65.3° | Kp 2 | AEY | €142 | ||
| LuleåSweden | 62.2° | Kp 3 | LLA | €114 | ||
| FairbanksAlaska, USA | 64.9° | Kp 2 | FAI | €178 | ||
| YellowknifeCanada | 68.8° | Kp 1 | YZF | €75 | ||
| WhitehorseCanada | 63.5° | Kp 3 | YXY | €111 |
Head-to-head comparisons
- Iceland or NorwayReykjavík beats Tromsø on usable sky in every month; Tromsø answers with position and eight-hour chases.
- Tromsø or RovaniemiRovaniemi wins on sky (82% against 31% of five-night March stays); Tromsø wins on auroral position.
- Fairbanks or YellowknifeThe two clearest skies we measured, tied at 97% of five-night January stays; September and November split them.
One test, twelve places
For every night from 2001 to 2024 we ran the same test on each place: at least two dark hours in a row with half the sky or more free of cloud, averaged over a satellite cell about 110 km across. A night that passes has a usable sky. The figures say nothing about solar activity, which is a separate matter. The methodology page has the detail.
Three groups
North America: Fairbanks, Yellowknife and Whitehorse have far better skies. From December to March, 92% to 98% of five-night stays there had at least one usable night. From Europe they mean long flights with a connection.
Inland Lapland: Kiruna, Abisko, Rovaniemi, Levi and Saariselkä, plus Luleå on the coast of the Bothnian Bay, have middling to good skies and are easy to reach from Europe. Kiruna leads the group from November to March. Luleå is best in September and October and fades after that.
The Atlantic coast: Tromsø, Reykjavík and Akureyri are the cloudiest. Tromsø is the best placed of the three under the auroral zone and Reykjavík the easiest to reach, with a sky that holds up from October to December. Tromsø and Akureyri share the bottom of the ranking in most months, which is why Tromsø's tours drive inland to clearer sky.
How to choose
Pick the group first. If the aurora is the whole point of the trip and you can afford the flights, go to North America. If you have a week or less from Europe, choose Lapland for the sky or the Atlantic coast for a town to enjoy on cloudy days, and add nights. Our nights table shows what each extra night buys.
Then compare inside the group:
For a single answer by month, see the best place to see the northern lights.
Common questions
Which destination has the clearest skies for the northern lights?
Yellowknife, Fairbanks and Whitehorse, by a wide margin. From December to March, 92% to 98% of five-night stays there had at least one dark night with a usable sky in our 2001-2024 data. The best European figure in those months is 87%, for Kiruna in March.
Which northern lights destination is easiest to reach from Europe?
Reykjavík, an Icelandair hub, and Rovaniemi and Levi, with many winter directs, are the simplest. Tromsø is usually reached via Oslo, Kiruna and Luleå from Stockholm, and Abisko needs a flight to Kiruna plus a train or transfer. Fairbanks, Yellowknife and Whitehorse mean connecting in North America.
Which Lapland destination has the best sky?
Kiruna, in our data. It has the highest five-night figure of the six Lapland places from November to March, peaking at 87% in March. Luleå is ahead in September and October.
Do these percentages tell me my chance of seeing the aurora?
No. They measure the sky only: how often a stay included a dark night with at least two hours of mostly cloud-free sky. Solar activity is a separate factor that no long-range statistic can predict for your dates.