How a Quiet Flight to Iceland 'Became Something Magical' for One Pilot (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

The northern lights.Photo:Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

Una Gísladóttir, a first officer with Play Airlines, currently flies routes for the Icelandic airline between Iceland, North America and Europe. Through her travels, she’s been able to experience the auroras, a rare luminous glow seen around the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.

She writes here about what encountering the lights from the sky is like, as well as provides tips for photographing the northern lights if you have the opportunity.

As a Play Airlines pilot from Reykjavik, Iceland, my experience from 35,000 feet is truly unlike any other. You see, in the winter months, we’re not the only ones soaring across the arctic skies.

Not long ago, I was piloting a red-eye flight from the United States, bound for my home: Iceland. Crossing the North Atlantic Ocean, it was silent. All we could hear were the exchanges of other pilots on air-to-air radio frequencies, sharing updates on weather conditions ahead.

But, what felt like a routine overnight flight, became something magical.

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Inside the cockpit, Una Gísladóttir captures the Northern Lights.Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

Those were the northern lights — and they felt within reach. It was my first time seeing them from the cockpit, illuminating our path home with an ever-changing palette. Up here, above the clouds and city lights, nothing stood in their way.

Since that night, I have been capturing photographs of the northern lights from my unique vantage point, hoping to inspire others around the world to experience Earth’s elusive ballet.

The Northern Lights in full display above the North Atlantic Ocean.Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

But ask our Nordic ancestors, and they will give you mystical explanations that long predate scientific understanding.

In Estonia, legend says the northern lights are the heavenly tracks of horse-drawn carriages, making their way to a wedding ceremony. In Finland, many believed the northern lights to be the artwork of a celestial fox, dazzling the sky with its bushy tail.

In my home country of Iceland, the lights hold other meanings. One in particular moves me most: the northern lights are the spirits of our departed loved ones, dancing in heaven.

Some are brought to tears when they see the northern lights, while others laugh in disbelief. Some stand still, in shock, as if they froze in the cold of night. Above all, this phenomenon has the unique ability to make us all forget about the challenges of the human world, and connect, in awe, with the marvels of the natural world. It’s an indescribable and unforgettable feeling.

The northern lights are as unique as fingerprints, no two displays are ever the same. But every time they grace us with their presence, it is humbling. It is wondrous. It is emotional.

Since I joined Play Airlines, I have had the privilege of flying thousands of people to Iceland. People from around the world, most of whom had only interacted with the northern lights in movies or dreams.

Una Gísladóttir.Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

As an Icelandic native, I feel a responsibility to invite the world — through my photography — to experience the northern lights. I always tell my people, anyone: “You have to experience them for real at least once in your life.”

And if you haven’t yet, this season is the perfect time to do so. With the sun entering its peak in the solar cycle, this winter promises breathtaking auroras. It’s the most opportune time to experience them in 20 years.

For me, at 35,000 feet, the northern lights serve as a reminder of just how majestic our “home” truly is.

This winter, you too can capture the beauty of the northern lights in photos. Here are a few of my tips for photographing the northern lights with just your phone.

Play Airlines Pilot Una Gísladóttir.Play Airlines First Officer Una Gisladottir

source: people.com