This year’s hotspots are looking a 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, searches by Aurora Borealis hunters are up by triple digits and almost three-quarters of Canadians (71%) says the aspire to see the Northern Lights in their lifetime but haven’t yet crossed the item off their bucket-list.

Travelling to see the Northern Lights is more in-demand than going on an African Safari (44%), exploring Japan during cherry blossom season (43%), or visiting Machu Picchu in Peru (38%) and Expedia says searches are skyrocketing for winter trips to Northern Lights “capitals” like Lapland in Finland; Churchill, Man.; and Alta in Norway.

To help travellers and agents 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 travellers 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 $200 a night or how to bundle a whole trip together for under $2,000. There’s even a photography guide to make sure you know how to capture the memory.”

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

• Finland: For Canadian aurora hunters, Finland is an extremely popular destination with hotel searches increasing 197% in 2023 versus 2022. The Finnish Lapland region is most popular (+328%), home to popular Northern Lights locales Rovaniemi (+313%) and Levi (+128%), among others.
• Canada: Top Canadian destinations for Northern Lights tourism included Churchill, Man., boasting a 173% increase in hotel searches in 2023 compared to 2022. Whitehorse, Yukon (+20%) and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (+18%) also saw increases.
• 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 Kirkenes (+189%), Tromsø (+109%) and Alta, the second northern-most city in the world (+115%).
• US.: America’s largest state, Alaska, saw an increase of 104% with Fairbanks being the most popular destination (128%). Visit in late August through mid-April for the best chance of spotting the Northern Lights.

Top 10 trending Northern Lights locations 

Based on year-over-year search growth, these are the destinations expected to be popular among tourists in 2024.

1. Lapland, Finland (+370%)
2. Churchill, Canada (+110%)
3. Alta, Norway (+100%)
4. Narvik, Norway (+90%)
5. Banff, Canada (+80%)
6. Kalfafell, Iceland (+80%)
7. Jasper, Canada (+75%)
8. Isle of Skye, UK (+70%)
9. Abisko, Sweden (+65%)
10. Kiruna, Sweden (+55%)

Best times to go in 2024

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 $162, more than $100 cheaper per night compared to the most expensive month, September.
• March:Aberdeen, Scotland (ADRs $114), nearly 15% cheaper than ADRs in September.
• April: Tromsø, Norway, with ADRs around $201, a $107 difference compared to February.
• September:Finland (ADRs around $181), roughly $121 cheaper than December.
• October: Lapland, Finland (ADRs around $141), less than half the cost of December, January, and February.
• November:Yellowknife, Canada (ADRs around $188), around 10% cheaper than January.
• December:Greenland, ADRs at $148, less than half the cost during March.

Suggested Itineraries

• Yellowknife, Northwest Territories: 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. Stay at the Explorer Hotel and schedule intimate Aurora viewing experience with transportation and a midnight snack through Bucketlist Tours.
• Tromsø, Norway: Indulge in a week-long retreat at the Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø, and add a reindeer sledding adventure.
• Fairbanks, Alaska: Stay at Chena Hot Springs Resort and a visit to the Aurora Ice Museum.