Thrillseekers can enjoy unique Northern Lights experience with travel deal from Birmingham Airport

The Northern Lights flights are perfect for people who have always wanted to see the natural phenomenon but haven't been able to afford a trip to the Nordic countries

Seeing the Northern Lights is a dream for many and at the top of their bucket lists. Despite some parts of the UK enjoying unprecedented views of this stunning natural spectacle a few times this year, many have missed out due to light pollution or simply sleeping through the event, only to wake up to social media chatter and photos of the unusual phenomena illuminating local skies.

The mesmerising light display is created when electrically-charged particles from the sun enter Earth's atmosphere. It can be seen from the UK, depending on light pollution and cloud cover.

While the best views of the Aurora Borealis usually involve a trip to the Nordic countries - with all the associated cold weather gear, hotels and other expenses - nature enthusiasts don't need to shell out thousands to travel abroad to witness the magic.

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A unique opportunity is being offered to passengers to get a close-up view of the Northern Lights, with a series of special night flights departing from airports across the UK throughout this winter and early 2025.

Special three to three-and-a-half-hour round trips are planned from regional airports including Birmingham, as well as Manchester and Gatwick, in November 2024 and March 2025. Prices start at £249 per person based on two travelling via Virgin Experiences, but single travellers can also book through Omega Breaks at the same price, as reported by Wales Online.

The journeys to the stars are led by Pete Lawrence, the respected astronomer and familiar face from BBC's Sky at Night, who provides a thorough narrative to aid passengers in distinguishing celestial sights like the Milky Way and Orion's Belt.

Trip organisers describe the Aurora experience, saying: "Our flight excursions are perhaps the easiest and most affordable way to see this natural phenomenon. The Aurora's appearance can vary from a weak glow to a breathtaking, sky-filling display, and even though the best views may be had from ground level, visibility can be hampered by surrounding light pollution, bad weather or an inconveniently cloudy night. Our flight excursions endeavour to eliminate these factors, aiming to improve chances of viewing this spectacle."

To enhance the observation experience, the plane's cabin is shrouded in darkness following ascent to allow everyone's eyes to adjust for optimal aurora viewing. Passengers periodically exchange seats to ensure that each has an equitable chance to witness the awe-inspiring display while on-board experts highlight meteors and star patterns.

The wonder of the aurora borealis has attracted thousands of stargazers who board Northern Lights flights by Omega Breaks, a company enjoying a 'great' rating on Trustpilot with a score of 4 out of 5 stars from 381 reviews. Their reputation is bolstered by positive feedback such as one customer's praise for the "phenomenal" experience: "A fantastic flight, all well organised even down to the black tape to blackout lights in the plane. We saw great show of the northern lights, cosmic dust and all the star constellations. Great."

Not every adventurer is lucky though, as sightings of this natural spectacle are never guaranteed. This led to some underwhelmed testimonials, including one stating, "Disappointing, as we did not get to see the lights, just a grey outline, nature is full of surprises!"

Another shared their letdown: "All went well with the flight, the expert did his excellent best, but sadly the Aurora wasn't performing well. No spectacular displays just an arch shaped whitish glow above the horizon."

Nonetheless, even those who missed out on the Northern Lights commended the experience for other reasons like the informative astronomer and celestial views. With optimism, another reviewer mentioned: "We had an interesting talk about what we might expect to see and then a comfortable flight. We saw the constellations and the milky way, all explained to us by an expert. Unfortunately, no Aurora Borealis on this trip but the stars were great compensation."

Customers who reserve the experience through Virgin will receive a gift-wrapped presentation box, making it an ideal present for Christmas or birthdays.

For those adventurers willing to splurge more on the experience, they can embark on Northern Lights trips via TUI this winter. The holiday company is currently offering discounts on two and three-night breaks to Iceland, and other destinations, with prices starting from £408 per person for a three-night trip based on double occupancy.