Northern lights from a plane: which side to sit on

The nonstops we cover that spend the longest in the dark near the aurora zone on a midwinter night, the side that faces it, and the departure time that gets you the most darkness up there.

Ranked by how long the flight spends at cruise in full darkness near the aurora zone. It's not a forecast: the aurora needs solar activity, and clear skies help. Check tonight's chances on the NOAA aurora forecast. Paths are the most direct route; real tracks shift north or south with the jet stream.

  1. Washington→TaipeiSIT LEFT8h 15mMorning departures, around 1:15 AM
  2. New York→TokyoEITHER SIDE7h 48mMorning departures, around 2:00 AM
  3. Atlanta→SeoulSIT RIGHT7h 23mEvening departures, around 11:35 PM
  4. Salt Lake City→ParisSIT LEFT7h 20mAfternoon departures, around 3:30 PM
  5. Los Angeles→AmsterdamEITHER SIDE7h 15mAfternoon departures, around 1:50 PM
  6. San Francisco→ZurichSIT RIGHT7h 14mAfternoon departures, around 2:25 PM
  7. San Francisco→ParisEITHER SIDE7h 13mAfternoon departures, around 2:40 PM
  8. San Francisco→FrankfurtSIT RIGHT7h 11mAfternoon departures, around 1:55 PM
  9. San Francisco→AmsterdamSIT RIGHT7h 10mAfternoon departures, around 1:45 PM
  10. San Francisco→MunichSIT RIGHT7h 8mAfternoon departures, around 1:55 PM
  11. Los Angeles→ParisEITHER SIDE7h 6mAfternoon departures, around 2:00 PM
  12. Seattle→RomeSIT RIGHT7h 2mAfternoon departures, around 2:05 PM
  13. Newark→SeoulEITHER SIDE7h 1mMorning departures, around 1:00 AM
  14. Denver→FrankfurtSIT LEFT6h 59mAfternoon departures, around 3:55 PM
  15. Salt Lake City→AmsterdamEITHER SIDE6h 58mAfternoon departures, around 4:30 PM
  16. San Francisco→RomeSIT RIGHT6h 58mAfternoon departures, around 3:15 PM
  17. New York→SeoulSIT LEFT6h 58mMorning departures, around 1:30 AM
  18. Denver→MunichSIT LEFT6h 53mAfternoon departures, around 4:05 PM
  19. Seattle→LondonSIT RIGHT6h 42mAfternoon departures, around 1:30 PM
  20. Los Angeles→FrankfurtSIT RIGHT6h 41mAfternoon departures, around 3:05 PM
  21. Los Angeles→IstanbulSIT RIGHT6h 39mAfternoon departures, around 1:25 PM
  22. New York→TaipeiSIT LEFT6h 39mMorning departures, around 1:15 AM
  23. Minneapolis→AmsterdamSIT LEFT6h 32mAfternoon departures, around 3:55 PM
  24. Los Angeles→RomeEITHER SIDE6h 31mAfternoon departures, around 3:15 PM
  25. Portland→AmsterdamSIT RIGHT6h 30mAfternoon departures, around 1:05 PM
  26. Minneapolis→DublinSIT LEFT6h 28mEvening departures, around 6:25 PM
  27. Chicago→TokyoSIT RIGHT6h 25mEvening departures, around 5:45 PM
  28. San Francisco→LondonSIT RIGHT6h 21mAfternoon departures, around 4:35 PM
  29. Chicago→AmsterdamSIT LEFT6h 20mAfternoon departures, around 4:15 PM
  30. Phoenix→LondonSIT LEFT6h 17mAfternoon departures, around 4:10 PM
  31. Los Angeles→LondonEITHER SIDE6h 17mAfternoon departures, around 3:45 PM
  32. Newark→StockholmSIT LEFT6h 16mEvening departures, around 5:20 PM
  33. Seattle→ParisSIT RIGHT6h 15mEvening departures, around 6:40 PM
  34. Chicago→FrankfurtSIT LEFT6h 14mAfternoon departures, around 4:05 PM
  35. Chicago→MunichSIT LEFT6h 13mAfternoon departures, around 3:35 PM
  36. New York→TashkentSIT RIGHT6h 12mAfternoon departures, around 12:55 PM
  37. Los Angeles→Tel AvivSIT RIGHT6h 9mAfternoon departures, around 1:30 PM
  38. Seattle→ReykjavikSIT RIGHT6h 6mEvening departures, around 7:00 PM
  39. Detroit→AmsterdamSIT LEFT6h 2mAfternoon departures, around 4:30 PM
  40. Minneapolis→ParisSIT LEFT6h 1mAfternoon departures, around 3:45 PM

Questions

Which side of the plane is best for the northern lights?

The side facing the aurora zone, which sits around the Arctic: on the left flying east across the Atlantic from North America, on the right flying west. Far north (over Greenland or the Arctic Ocean) you can be north of the zone, and then it's on the other side. Each route below has its side.

When can you see the northern lights from a plane?

On night flights from about October to March, when the flight spends hours in the dark near the Arctic. Strong solar activity pushes the aurora further south.

How do I see it better?

Dim your screen and the cabin lights near you, cup your hands or a blanket against the window, and let your eyes adjust for a few minutes. Cameras often see more color than eyes do.

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