Flights to Longyearbyen… the place that has more polar bears than people 🐻‍❄️

We’ll forgive you if you haven’t heard of Longyearbyen before. It’s a tiny Arctic town on an island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

Flights start at around £175 return during the Polar Night – the period of near 24‑hour darkness from November to January. Two stopovers are required, including a long one in Oslo, but you can explore the city, so consider it a bonus. Flights with one stop usually cost over £400.

Why go? It’s a niche adventure destination. January’s darkness makes it one of the best places to see the Northern Lights at any hour, so bring a good headlamp. You can also explore the North Pole Expedition Museum or take a snowmobile ride across the frozen landscape.

Wildlife is abundant – there are more polar bears than people – but you cannot leave town without a guide or proper polar bear protection (while you don’t have to carry a gun in town, if you head out into the wilderness, you really should, it’s strongly recommended).

Fun facts: coffin burials aren’t allowed because of permafrost, and there’s no proper maternity ward, so expectant mothers usually travel to the mainland to give birth.

Details

Booking example from London for 23 - 28 January:

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This is a super unique experience, don't expect luxury, though.

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We might be pirates, but we’re an honest bunch. We check all our deals when we review them to make sure everything is available. However, with deals this hot, things change quickly—flight prices fluctuate, hotel rooms sell out, currencies yo-yo. And just so you know, local taxes might still apply – even treasure has its fine print. But mainly, demand for the best deals means the lowest prices don’t last long. If you’ve missed out this time, don’t worry, we’re working on more great offers.

Interested in offsetting your carbon emissions for this flight? Read our guide to help you make an informed decision.

Travelling solo? Check out our single-travel deals here.