Jazmin Li
Canada is one of the world's top destinations for witnessing the Aurora Borealis, with its vast northern wildernesses and minimal light pollution. The best time to see the lights is during the long winter months, from late August to October, and mid-November to early April. The further north you go, the better your chances of seeing the lights. The Yukon, in Canada's north-west, is a prime location, as is Jasper National Park, which is a few hours' drive from Edmonton. Edmonton International Airport and Calgary International Airport are the best airports to fly to if you want to see the lights.
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What You'll Learn
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural light display that can be observed in northern Canada. While the phenomenon occurs year-round, the chances of witnessing it increase during the long northern winter months, particularly during two prime seasons: late August to October and mid-November to early April. The best viewing locations are often areas with minimal light pollution and clear, dark skies.
Churchill, in the far north of Manitoba, is known for its ideal viewing conditions for the Northern Lights, with the lights appearing on almost 300 nights a year. The Northwest Territories, including Yellowknife, also offer excellent opportunities to witness the Aurora Borealis. The Yukon, at the beginning of winter, provides stellar conditions with pitch-black skies.
To increase your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis, it is recommended to stay for a longer duration and choose locations with minimal cloud cover and light pollution. Northern Canada provides many ideal spots, and with Toronto Pearson International Airport serving as a major gateway, you can easily connect to various destinations across the country to chase the Northern Lights.
While Toronto Pearson International Airport itself does not offer direct views of the Aurora Borealis, its role as a transportation hub connects travellers to numerous destinations across Canada where the Northern Lights can be witnessed. The airport's proximity to cities like Aurora, approximately 46 miles away, showcases its convenience as a starting point for those seeking to experience the natural wonder of the Aurora Borealis.
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
Billy Bishop Airport offers a convenient and welcoming travel experience. It provides a range of services, including complimentary baggage carts, nursing pods, a secure Lost and Found, duty-free shopping, and restaurants featuring locally sourced menus. The airport has one main east-west runway, a shorter runway at a 20-degree angle, and a seaplane base called the Billy Bishop Toronto City Water Aerodrome.
The airport serves regional airline services and general aviation, including medical evacuation flights, small charter flights, and private aviation. Jet aircraft are banned from the airport, except for MEDEVAC flights. It is a popular choice for travellers due to its central location and ease of access to and from the city.
In terms of rankings, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has received mixed reviews. In 2017, it was named the "Best Airport in North America" based on 2016 surveys. However, in 2019, it was ranked 124th in the world and the worst in Canada by AirHelp, with low scores for on-time performance and food and shops, but a higher rating for service.
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Region of Waterloo International Airport
The airport features a terminal with four gates—one international, one domestic arrivals, and two domestic departures—to accommodate scheduled flights. Additionally, there are two separate baggage carousels, one each for domestic and international travel. Passenger amenities include complimentary services such as free Wi-Fi, high-speed internet, charging stations, and luggage carts. Other amenities include an ATM, a licensed sit-down café, and a vending area. The Region of Waterloo International Airport is also an accessible facility, offering assistance to passengers with special needs.
The history of the airport dates back to the 1920s when the Kitchener-Waterloo Municipal Airport, also known as Lexington Airport, was constructed on the Heinrich farm on Lexington Road in Waterloo. This airfield was completed in 1930 and primarily served as a site for flying instruction. In 1948, the Waterloo-Wellington Airport Commission acquired a larger site in Breslau, and a new airfield was established there by 1950. The airport changed hands a few times and underwent several name changes before becoming the Region of Waterloo International Airport in March 2004, following the announcement of daily flights to Detroit, Michigan, by Northwest Airlines.
Today, the airport operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is ranked among the top 20 busiest airports in Canada. It serves as a hub for commercial, corporate, and general aviation services, with 25 businesses operating from the airport and contributing significantly to the local economy. Several airlines, including Nolinor Aviation and Flair Airlines, have offered or currently provide flights to various domestic and international destinations. Expansion plans for the airport are also underway, with the Waterloo Regional Council approving funds for further development.
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Edmonton International Airport
The airport has experienced significant growth since its opening in 1960. In the 1970s, the airport's traffic rapidly increased as the city of Edmonton grew, serving approximately 2 million passengers by 1980. However, from the early 1980s until 1995, traffic declined due to the continued usage of the Edmonton City Centre Airport and economic slowdown. Growth returned in 1995, and in 1998, the airport began a $282 million redevelopment project, which included the construction of a new terminal and various other improvements.
While it is possible to see the Aurora Borealis from a plane, your chances of witnessing the full effect are better on the ground, away from city lights. The best sightings usually happen farther north, where there is less light pollution. The University of Edmonton sends out email alerts when the forecast predicts the Northern Lights will be visible overhead.
If you're planning to fly into Edmonton International Airport and want to increase your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis, consider booking a trip to Jasper National Park or exploring other locations in the area known for their dark skies, such as Saskatchewan.
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Flight paths over the North Atlantic Ocean
The closest airport to Aurora, Ontario, Canada is Toronto (YYZ) Airport, which is 23.3 miles away. Other nearby airports include Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (25.8 miles), Hamilton Airport (62.6 miles), and Buffalo Airport (82.8 miles).
Now, here is some information on flight paths over the North Atlantic Ocean.
The North Atlantic is a busy airspace, with thousands of aircraft crossing the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North America daily. This stretch of airspace is officially called the North Atlantic Organised Track System (NAT-OTS) or the North Atlantic Tracks. These tracks are structured transatlantic flight routes that ensure aircraft are separated over the ocean, where there is little radar coverage. Aircraft flying between North America and Europe operate between the altitudes of 29,000 and 41,000 feet.
The NAT-OTS is divided into two parts: the NAT HLA (high-level airspace), which includes the track system, and then all the other bits which aren't NAT HLA. The NAT HLA has many rules and regulations because there is no ATC radar, so pilots must follow their instructed flight path, and because there are many aircraft with little separation between them.
Before departure, airline flight dispatchers/flight operations officers will determine the best track based on destination, aircraft weight, aircraft type, prevailing winds, and air traffic control route charges. The aircraft will then contact the Oceanic Center controller before entering oceanic airspace and request the track, giving the estimated time of arrival at the entry point. The Oceanic Controllers then calculate the required separation distances between aircraft and issue clearances to the pilots.
The first implementation of an organised track system across the North Atlantic was for commercial shipping, dating back to 1898 when the North Atlantic Track Agreement was signed. The NAT Tracks were first occasionally used in 1961 when there were concerns about aircraft colliding, and by 1965, they were a daily feature.
To safely cross the North Atlantic Ocean, pilots must adhere to various rules and regulations. Before entering the NAT HLA, pilots must request an oceanic clearance from the controlling sector, usually by CPDLC or voice, around 60-90 minutes prior to entry. In their request, they include their entry point, ETA, requested flight level, and speed (Mach number). They then receive a clearance back confirming the routing, speed, and level.
The strategic lateral offset procedure (SLOP) was introduced to the North Atlantic airspace in 2004 to reduce the risk of mid-air collision by spreading out aircraft laterally.
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Frequently asked questions
The closest airport to see the Aurora Borealis in Canada depends on your destination. If you are visiting Jasper National Park, you can fly into Edmonton or Calgary International Airport. If you are visiting Churchill, you can fly into Winnipeg and drive the remaining 1000km. If you are visiting La Ronge and Melfort, you can fly into Saskatoon or Regina Airport. If you are visiting Yellowknife, you can fly directly there from Vancouver or Calgary.
Edmonton and Calgary are major hubs that offer a variety of accommodations.
Some accommodations in Churchill include Seal River Heritage Lodge, Dymond Lake Eco Lodge, and the Churchill Hotel.
Most visitors base themselves in Saskatoon or Regina.
The Northern Lights Resort & Spa in Yellowknife offers the opportunity to observe the northern lights from a hot tub or a cosy cabin with expansive glass walls.
