Your odds of seeing the northern lights in Alaska are good this winter — here's why
Aurora borealis on your bucket list? Since mother nature can be unreliable and downright erratic at times, here's some good news for a change.
The northern lights in Alaska are expected to be stellar this winter and next, Anchorage Daily News reported, due to powerful solar winds. So, now may be a good time for aurora hunters to book a trip to the Last Frontier.
The sun's polar magnetic field will reverse soon, and this phenomenon occurs every 11 years. When that happens, the solar winds change and reveal more sunspots (dark-colored areas of magnetic activity). In essence, it's the perfect storm — yes, pun intended — for some fantastic aurora borealis viewing.
While the northern lights are most famously sought out from destinations north of the Arctic Circle — primarily Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden — you may not necessarily have to cross international borders to find witness this natural wonder.
By 2024 and 2025, an aurora could happen every few days in central Alaska. In fact, Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of the best places to view the aurora lights in the state, as many tours specialize in aurora hunting. Visitors could also check in to the Borealis Basecamp, in a remote part of Alaska, or search for views from the Aurora Winter Train, which traverses Alaska's backcountry from mid-September to mid-May.
And with the onset of the reversal of the sun's magnetic field, you may even get the opportunity to see the aurora in Anchorage or other destinations in Southern Alaska.
Best of all, we've recently seen lots of great fare deals to Alaska this winter for as low as $135 round-trip on Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines if you're looking to plan the trip of a lifetime.
Just be sure to keep an eye on NOAA's aurora and geomagnetic forecasts. Watch the Kp index, specifically, which measures aurora strength. You'll know your chances of seeing the northern lights are better than usual when the Kp index is 4 or higher. The index ranges from 0 to 9, with 0 being the weakest and 9 being a strong geomagnetic storm.
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month