Check Alaska off your bucket list

If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Alaska, a five-hour-and-forty-minute nonstop flight now connects you directly to Fairbanks. United Airlines' summer seasonal service departs Denver International Airport to Fairbanks International Airport daily from May 23 through September 9. Fairbanks is a vibrant river city in the wilds of Interior Alaska. Whether you come seeking the summer’s everlasting sunshine or, later in the summer, a glimpse of the magical northern lights, the region offers a portal into life in the Far North.

Come during Midnight Sun Season, April 22 through August 20, and witness the summer sun shining up to 24 hours a day. In fact, from mid-May through mid-July, Fairbanks experiences 70 straight days of sunlight. See sunsets merge with sunrises, watch a glorious garden grow, go on a midnight hike, float down the Chena River or have a late-night dessert on an outdoor deck—the rousing Midnight Sun Season is awesome and energizing.

While Aurora Season doesn't officially start until August 21, it is possible to see the northern lights up to a week before. Fairbanks' location is excellent for northern lights viewing because of its position under the "Auroral Oval"—a ring-shaped zone over the Far North where aurora activity is concentrated. Additionally, Fairbanks' low precipitation and distance from coastal areas contributes to consistently clear nights. All combined, these variables make the Fairbanks region one of the best places on earth to see the northern lights.