Nearly half of Americans (42%) dream of aurora chasing this year, eclipsing other bucket list experiences 
 
Canada, Finland and Norway boast the most popular destinations for aurora hunters, with Expedia searches historically up triple-digits 

With experts predicting extraordinary aurora visibility in 2024, Expedia’s Northern Lights Insider Guide helps travelers plan their trip 

This year’s hotspots are looking a whole lot cooler with the rise of Northern Lights tourism, spurred by reports that the astronomical phenomenon will be extraordinarily visible in 2024. According to a survey commissioned by Expedia®, nearly half (42%) of Americans will prioritize aurora chasing in the year ahead over other bucket list experiences. Traveling to see the Northern Lights is more in-demand than a visit to Egypt’s pyramids (36%) or a walk along the Great Wall of China (33%). Expedia searches are skyrocketing for winter trips to Northern Lights “capitals” like Lapland in Finland (+370%), Canada’s Churchill (110%) and Alta in Norway (+100%). 

To help travelers plan, Expedia has released a Northern Lights Insider Guide packed with insights on trending destinations, booking hacks, photography tips and ideal itineraries.  

“Planning your Northern Lights adventure might feel like navigating uncharted territory, but we’ve made it easy for travelers to make this trip a reality,” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. “From Canada to Norway, the free guide shows where to stay for under $160 a night or how to bundle a whole trip together for under $1,500. There’s even a photography guide to make sure you know how to capture the memory.”    

Expedia’s Northern Lights Insider Guide 

Everything you need to know to plan and book a once-in-a-lifetime trip to chase the Northern Lights in 2024. 
 

Destinations Insights¹ 

Due to an auspicious solar cycle, 2024 is expected to bring increased opportunities for travelers to glimpse the Northern Lights. Here are the most popular places to chase the aurora borealis this year, based on Expedia traveler data: 

1. Finland:  

• For American aurora hunters, Finland is far and away the most popular destination with hotel searches increasing 215% in 2023 versus 2022. The Finnish Lapland region is most popular (+370%), home to popular Northern Lights locales Rovaniemi (+255%) and Inari (+250%), among others.  
• October is the most budget-friendly time to go to Finland during the Northern Lights season (late September through late March), with average daily rates (ADRs) around $216 for Lapland hotels, more than $250 cheaper than ADRs December. 
   

2. Canada: 

• Top Canadian destinations for Northern Lights tourism included Churchill, Manitoba boasting a 110% increase in hotel searches in 2023 compared to 2022, Banff, Alberta (+80%) and Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories (+40%). 
   

3. Norway: 

• Norway’s Northern Lights season stretches from fall to spring, but statistically the best times to see the lights are in March/April and September/October.  
• Top destinations included Alta, the second northern-most city in the world (+100%), Narvik (+90%) and Tromsø (+45%). 
   

4. U.S.:  

• Americans don’t even have to get their passports out to see the light show:  

• Michigan (+20%): Peak times are April, October and November. 
• Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota (+20%): This wilderness along the Canadian border is a hotbed of aurora borealis activity. Visit in the fall or winter months for the best chance at a light show. 
• Alaska (+15%): Visit in late August through mid-April for the best chance of spotting the Northern Lights. 
   

5. Top Ten Trending² Northern Lights Locations Worldwide: Based on year-over-year search growth, these are the destinations expected to be popular among tourists in 2024.  
    

• Lapland, Finland (+370%) 
• Churchill, Canada (+110%) 
• Alta, Norway (+100%) 
• Narvik, Norway (+90%) 
• Banff, Canada (+80%) 
• Kalfafell, Iceland (+80%) 
• Jasper, Canada (+75%) 

• Isle of Skye, UK (+70%) 
• Abisko, Sweden (+65%) 
• Kiruna, Sweden (+55%) 
   

Best Times to Go in 2024³  

Based on average daily hotel rates (ADRs) in 2023, these are the anticipated most cost-effective destinations for Northern Lights trips in the coming year: 

• February: Faroe Island, with ADRs around $120, more than $75 cheaper per night compared to the most expensive month, September. 
• March: Aberdeen, Scotland (ADRs $85), nearly 15% cheaper than ADRs in September. 
• April: Tromsø, Norway, with ADRs around $150, a $80 difference compared to February. 
• September: Finland (ADRs around $135), roughly $90 cheaper than December. 
• October: Lapland, Finland (ADRs around $105), less than half the cost of December, January, and February. 
• November: Yellowknife, Canada (ADRs around $140), around 10% cheaper than January. 
• December: Greenland, ADRs at $110, less than half the cost during March. 

Money-Saving Hacks 

According to Expedia’s recent survey, 52%⁴ of travelers have not traveled to the Northern Lights due to financial reasons. These tips help travelers save without compromising on experience:  

• Expedia’s Price Tracking⁵ feature on the app eliminates the uncertainty involved in choosing the right time to book a Northern Lights trip by notifying travelers when flight prices change and using exclusive data to pinpoint the best time to book. 
• Bundle and save Traveling to a remote destination doesn’t have to be complicated. Travelers save an average of hundreds of dollars when they book their flights, hotel and activities all in one place on the Expedia app.⁶ 
• Expedia’s annual Air Travel Hacks Report, providing the latest tips to save travelers time and money on their flights, reveals that travelers could save up to 16% by departing on a Thursday. International travel should be booked around 60 days in advance on travel, to save roughly 10%.⁷ 

Suggested Itineraries 

Expedia did the heavy lifting to help travelers plan their Northern Lights expeditions. Check out the three itineraries below and visit the Expedia Magazine for six bookable destination deep-dives. 

• Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada: Yellowknife is one of the country’s best places to catch the Northern Lights. Locals recommend a minimum three-to-four-night stay to increase the odds of glimpsing the aurora. Package rates for a four-night trip including a stay at the Explorer Hotel and roundtrip airfare from Chicago in October 2024 start around $1,720. Schedule an intimate aurora viewing experience with transportation and a midnight snack included through Bucketlist Tours for around $90 per person. 

• Tromsø, Norway: Indulge in a week-long retreat at the Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø and combine your flight and hotel into an Expedia package. The average cost for an October trip is around $1,454 (hotel plus round-trip flights between New York and Tromsø). Make the most of your days by adding a reindeer sledding adventure for an additional $147 per person. 
• Fairbanks, Alaska: Book a seven-night package to this popular Northern Lights destination, including a stay at Chena Hot Springs Resort with flights from Seattle for $1,654. Add an Aurora Ice Museum experience for $16 per person. 

Capturing the Northern Lights: 

Even when shooting with a smartphone camera, it’s possible to bring home the magic of the Northern Lights with these photography tips from award-winning wildlife and nature photographer, Dave Sandford: 

1. Get remote: Heading to where it is dark with little to no light pollution will provide you with the best opportunities when shooting the night sky, so head as far away from any urban centers as possible.  

2. Planning and preparation is key: Lean on local guides or a group excursion to get you to the right place at the right time for Northern Lights hunting. Download one of the many aurora tracking apps and make sure you bring spare batteries, memory cards or charge your smartphone to ahead of time. Cold temperatures can sap your charge faster than normal. 

3. Use a tripod: Shooting the night sky requires a slower camera shutter speed, and using a tripod will help prevent camera shake and give you crisp, sharp images regardless of what type of camera you’re using. Bonus points if you use a cable release trigger or put your camera or smartphone on self-timer mode to help prevent blurry images from camera shake. 

4. Composition: Depending on your location, some ideas to keep in mind for a more breathtaking image are mountains, a tree line, lighted tent, building structures or reflections of the Northern Lights on a lake or pond. As astounding as the Northern Lights are on their own, using a foreground subject will take your images to the next level and give your viewer a sense of scale.  

5. Dress for success! This phrase isn’t exclusively for the corporate business world. Don’t miss out on getting the most out of your Northern Lights experience because you’re too cold to enjoy it! Layers are key for proper sub-zero aurora viewing and photography. You can often rent cold-weather gear if you don’t own some. The warmer you are, the more comfortable you’ll be to fully embrace the cold temperatures and to truly enjoy the magic that is the Northern Lights. 

“Patience is key and experimenting with your camera settings is the secret sauce to capturing the Northern Lights,” said Sandford. “That said, don’t forget to savor the moment. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been fortunate to see them in person, I always make a point to put the camera down and lose myself in the extraordinary experience of the Northern Lights.”  

Follow Expedia on Instagram and TikTok to see more Northern Lights photography tips from Dave and other experts. 
 

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Data Sources:   

¹ Data results based off hotel searches on Expedia.com made throughout 2023 in comparison to 2022. 

² ADR data based off YOY Expedia hotel rates in 2023 in comparison to 2022. 

³ ADR data based off YOY Expedia hotel rates in 2023 in comparison to 2022. 

⁴ The survey about once-in-a-life-time experiences was conducted online among 2,000 U.S. adults who intend to travel for leisure in 2024, by OnePoll on behalf of Expedia. 

⁵ Price predictions are not a guarantee. Available to members on select routes. 

⁶ Savings based on package bookings as compared to the price of the same components booked separately. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and travel suppliers. Savings not available on all packages. Flight inclusive packages are ATOL protected. 

⁷ Sourced from Expedia’s annual Air Travel Hacks Report, which analyzes billions of data points in partnership with the Airline Reporting Corporation. Percentages noted are averages.