Yes — and from a plane window you often have a better view than on the ground. At 35,000–38,000 feet you're above most of the cloud cover that blocks aurora on the surface. The lights can fill your entire window, rippling in green, purple, and white curtains against a black sky.
The catch: you need the right route, the right season, and the right seat. The aurora doesn't appear on every polar flight — you need geomagnetic activity, darkness, and a flight path that crosses the auroral oval (roughly 65–72° geomagnetic latitude). Here's exactly what to look for.
Best route overall: Helsinki → Tokyo (HEL→NRT). The polar great-circle crosses Siberia through the heart of the aurora belt for 4–5 hours of potential viewing.
Best for a dedicated aurora flight: Any Reykjavik (KEF) route in winter. Iceland sits inside the auroral oval — even a short hop to London passes through prime territory.
Best season: October–March. Polar darkness + equinoctial geomagnetic peaks.
Which side: Generally the left side on routes heading to Scandinavia or Iceland from North America. Pole-facing throughout.
Check the window seat recommendation for your specific polar route.
Look up my flight →Best routes for northern lights from the plane
Helsinki → Tokyo (HEL → NRT)
The undisputed best commercial route for aurora viewing. The polar great-circle path from Helsinki crosses the Gulf of Finland, arcs northeast over St. Petersburg, then transits Siberia and Yakutia at 60–70°N — directly through the auroral oval — for roughly 4 to 5 hours of flight time. On an October or November night with a Kp index above 3, this flight can offer continuous aurora. Both sides can show aurora during the Siberian crossing, but the left side tracks the most consistently pole-facing view. Check Kp forecasts before your flight.
Full seat recommendation →Any Reykjavik (KEF) flight in winter
Iceland sits inside the auroral oval — not just near it. On a clear winter night, aircraft approaching or departing KEF are literally flying through the zone of maximum aurora frequency. Even a 3-hour flight from London to Reykjavik in January can produce a full aurora display. Aurora can appear on either side at KEF; look toward the darkest part of the sky away from city glow. Left side is generally better on routes from North America. On arrival, watch on both sides during descent.
All Reykjavik routes →New York → Reykjavik (JFK → KEF)
The great-circle route from JFK arcs northeast over Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and across the North Atlantic at high latitude — passing directly through the auroral oval on the approach into Iceland. On the left side, you're facing north-northwest toward the pole for most of the flight. This is a relatively short transatlantic hop (~5.5 hours), which means more of the flight falls at useful viewing latitudes compared to longer routes that dip south mid-ocean.
Full seat recommendation →New York → Helsinki or Oslo (JFK → HEL / JFK → OSL)
These routes arc well north of 60°N at cruise, passing over Greenland's southern tip, the Norwegian Sea, and the Scandinavian Arctic. The left side faces north — toward the auroral oval — for most of the Atlantic crossing. On an active geomagnetic night in November or March, the aurora can appear as a distant glowing arc on the left side 3–4 hours into the flight, building into full curtains as the aircraft approaches Scandinavia.
JFK→HEL recommendation →Minneapolis → Reykjavik (MSP → KEF)
One of the most direct routes into the auroral oval from the US. Departing Minneapolis the flight heads northeast, crossing Lake Superior, southern Quebec, and out over the North Atlantic at high latitude — reaching Iceland in about 7 hours. The left side faces the pole throughout the North Atlantic crossing. MSP→KEF Icelandair flights are popular for exactly this reason among aurora chasers who want the most direct routing into the auroral zone.
Full seat recommendation →Oslo / Copenhagen → New York (OSL / CPH → JFK)
Heading west-southwest from Scandinavia, the left side faces toward the north and the auroral oval for the early part of the flight. Departing Oslo or Copenhagen in winter, the first 2–3 hours over the Norwegian Sea and northern North Atlantic can cross active aurora territory. The display tends to diminish as the flight moves south toward North America's lower latitudes. Book a window seat on the left side and watch during the first half of the flight.
OSL→JFK recommendation →Chicago → Anchorage (ORD → ANC)
A surprisingly good aurora route. The great-circle path from Chicago heads northwest over Wisconsin, the Canadian Prairies, the Yukon, and into Alaska — crossing the North American auroral zone at around 60–65°N. The right side faces north on this northwest-tracking route. Anchorage itself is under the auroral oval, so on late autumn and winter evening departures from ORD you may see aurora even before reaching Alaska. Look right during the Canadian portion of the flight.
Full seat recommendation →London → Reykjavik (LHR → KEF)
A short but reliable aurora flight. After departing northwest over the UK, the route crosses northern Scotland and the Shetland Islands, then heads across the Norwegian Sea and into the auroral oval approaching Iceland. Left side faces the pole. At under 3 hours, the window for aurora is brief — but the approach into Reykjavik in winter, when Iceland is below the aurora, can produce stunning views during descent on both sides.
Full seat recommendation →When to look: seasons and timing
October and March are the peak months. These fall near the equinoxes, when the geometry of Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind aligns to produce the strongest geomagnetic storms — the Russell-McPherron effect. Flights on active nights in these months have the highest chance of a visible display.
Within a flight, watch between 10pm and 3am local time at the highest latitude point of your route. For a JFK→KEF flight departing at 9pm New York time, the best aurora window is roughly 1–3am Reykjavik time (the middle third of the flight). Set a reminder or stay awake rather than checking the window sporadically.
Check the Kp index before you fly. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center publishes 3-day aurora forecasts. A Kp index of 3 or above is enough for high-latitude routes; Kp 5+ (geomagnetic storm) means aurora may be visible well south of the polar regions. Apps like SpaceWeatherLive give real-time alerts.
Tips for the best view from your seat
Get a window seat — obviously
Middle and aisle seats give zero visibility. Book a window seat on the pole-facing side (see route list above). Seats over the wing have a partially obstructed view; forward of the wing is better.
Close your window shade during dinner
Let your eyes dark-adapt before the auroral zone. If the cabin is bright and your eyes are adjusted to interior light, faint aurora will be invisible. Give your eyes 10–15 minutes of darkness before looking.
Cup your hands around the glass
Interior cabin reflections are the biggest enemy of aurora viewing. Cup your hands or press a cloth against the window to block reflected light from screens and overhead lights. Even subtle interior glow kills faint aurora.
Don't use your phone screen
Each glance at a bright screen resets your dark adaptation. If you want to check a Kp app, minimize brightness and close it at least 5 minutes before looking at the sky. Night mode helps.
Ask the crew
Flight crews on polar routes often know when aurora is visible and will sometimes make an announcement or dim the cabin lights. Icelandair and Finnair crews in particular are experienced with aurora visibility on their routes.
Watch the horizon, not straight up
From cruise altitude, aurora often first appears as a greenish glow on the horizon toward the pole. It can expand upward from there. Scanning the horizon on the pole-facing side is more effective than looking directly overhead through the window.
Southern lights (aurora australis) from the plane
The aurora australis — the southern equivalent — follows the same rules around the southern magnetic pole. The best routes for southern lights from a plane are flights crossing the southern tip of South America, flights to Antarctica (for research aircraft), and Australia–South America routes that arc south of 55°S.
For commercial passengers, the most accessible option is Melbourne or Sydney to Buenos Aires or Santiago, which can arc south of the auroral oval on active nights. The SYD→SCL and MEL→SCL routes pass through high southern latitudes where aurora australis is occasionally visible in winter (June–August in the Southern Hemisphere). Look toward the south-facing side of the aircraft — typically the right side heading east toward South America.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the northern lights from a plane?
Yes. Flights that cross high latitudes — particularly routes to Iceland, Scandinavia, Alaska, and the polar route to Japan — pass through or near the auroral oval. At cruise altitude you're above most clouds, giving an unobstructed view. The best conditions are a night flight between October and March on a geomagnetically active night (Kp 3+), seated at a window on the pole-facing side.
What is the best route for seeing the northern lights from a plane?
Helsinki to Tokyo (HEL→NRT) is the best commercial route. The polar great-circle crosses Siberia through the auroral oval for 4–5 hours of potential viewing. Reykjavik (KEF) routes are excellent because Iceland sits inside the oval. US to Scandinavia routes (JFK→HEL, JFK→OSL, MSP→KEF) also arc through the aurora zone. Chicago to Anchorage (ORD→ANC) crosses the North American auroral zone on the right side.
Which side of the plane for northern lights?
The pole-facing side — which is the left side on most routes heading northeast from North America toward Scandinavia and Iceland. On routes from Scandinavia heading southwest toward North America, the right side faces the pole. On the HEL→NRT polar route, aurora can appear on both sides as the flight crosses the auroral oval. See the route list above for specific flights.
Does the plane have to fly over the North Pole to see aurora?
No — you don't need to cross the North Pole. The auroral oval sits at roughly 65–72° geomagnetic latitude, which corresponds to parts of Iceland, northern Norway, Alaska, and northern Canada. Many transatlantic and transpacific routes pass through or near this zone without crossing the pole itself. On very active nights (Kp 7+), aurora can appear as far south as the UK or the northern US states.
Can you see aurora in summer?
Rarely. Summer at polar latitudes means near-continuous daylight — the sun barely sets, making aurora invisible even when geomagnetically active. The aurora is still there in summer; you just can't see it because the sky never gets dark enough. October through March is the reliable season. September and April can occasionally produce visible displays on strong geomagnetic nights.
How do I know if my flight will have northern lights?
Check the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (swpc.noaa.gov) for 3-day geomagnetic activity forecasts. The Kp index measures global geomagnetic activity; Kp 3+ is needed for high-latitude routes, Kp 5+ for mid-latitude flights. Apps like SpaceWeatherLive and Aurora Forecast provide alerts. Beyond predicting geomagnetic activity, check that your route crosses the auroral zone (see the route list above) and that your departure time means you'll be over high latitudes in darkness.